Stolen Memories
by givingthisatry
Summary: Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini steal secrets for fun and for money. When a drunken Hermione becomes a target for the pair, what dark secrets will they find buried deep in her mind? M for course language and smut in later chapters. Started as a one shot but has continued due to support from you guys.
1. Stolen Memories

**August 2018 Note:** This story is currently under re-construction. This was my first significant fanfiction and I was very 'green' so to speak. Chapter by chapter I will review and update. I will update the notes when this 'renovation' is complete!

 **Original Notes:** This started as a one shot but continued because I loved writing it so much and because of all of your lovely reviews and support. I am having a great time with this so thank you.

 **Disclaimer:** M for mature themes and lemons in later chapters. Please do not read this if you are underage or offended by explicit language or lemons. Please do not ignore this warning and then ruin for others. Please note that these are not my characters and I make no profit from this.

 **A word about my style:** I am not obsessive about making my stories perfect. This is fanfiction. It is a hobby and something I do as a creative outlet outside of my full time job and life. As such, don't expect perfection. If you wan't perfection, PAY for a book that has been proofed and worked on by a paid editor. There are OC and AU elements in most of my stories. Rather than nitpicking and trying to prove you're the ultimate Potter fan, just go with it!

* * *

 **Stolen Memories**

* * *

In the corner of the dark bar Hermione teetered on her rickety bar stool. It had been five years to the day since the Battle of Hogwarts, and much had changed.

She had finished her studies and gone on to work for the Ministry of Magic, dividing her time between Muggle Affairs and the Welfare of Magical Creatures departments. She loved her work, although it was relentless and time consuming.

As "The Brightest Witch of Her Age," a term that the _Daily Prophet_ still liked to use in their regular gossip articles about her life, she was always destined for great things.

Naturally, the 'Golden Trio' that defeated Lord Voldemort were undoubtedly the most famous living faces in the wizarding world, and the media attention never died down. The public remained interested as ever as to where they worked and what went on in their personal lives.

Her personal life as it went, was exactly the thing that brought her to this dubious bar, known for shady goings on and as a haunt for darker wizards. She knew that she would not be photographed here or harassed with questions about the battle, her life and… _Ron_.

Her failed relationship had recently become routine tabloid fodder.

After the battle their love continued to grow and their life together seemed charmed… until it wasn't anymore.

Over time it became abundantly clear that they were very different people who wanted different things from life. She was ambitious, hated media attention and was still obsessed with books and learning.

He was laid back with little ambition (though he had done well for himself at the Ministry) and he loved media attention. He also wanted children, lots of them, just like his parents. The idea of this made Hermione scream internally. It wasn't what she wanted for her life at all.

In short, it was never going to work between them.

She recalled sitting on the floor of their apartment across from him. Tears rolling down her face as they stared into each others eyes, knowing that this was the end.

They had sworn to be friends, but how could they? How could they ever really be as they were before it all?

She summoned the witch behind the bar and requested she leave the bottle of fire whiskey there. She smiled knowing that the Prophet would have a field day with the 'Gryffindor Princess/Golden Girl getting wasted in a shady bar alone' story line, but they would never find her here, the bar was laced with privacy magic.

With that she put the bottle to her lips and began to pour.

* * *

Draco Malfoy sat with his old friend Blaise Zabini in the corner of a god awful bar for dark wizards and general riff raff. He winced as he sat down, knowing his expensive robes were probably being soiled by his disgusting environment. How was it that everything could be so very... sticky?

Blaise regarded him with amusement. "Always such a snob Malfoy," he laughed.

Malfoy shot him an icy glare. He hated that Blaise was so fond of such places. They were filled entirely with the wrong kinds of people. They were dirty, and frankly he resented that someone may see him there. Not that anyone he would willingly associate with would possibly in such a place. Other than Blaise, of course.

"Don't be a spoil sport Malfoy. There are games afoot!" the dark wizard smiled, a glint in his eye.

"Oh God, not this again Zabini," groaned Malfoy, shuffling uncomfortably in his seat.

The boys had played this game a number of times. They would find an interesting which or wizard in a vulnerable inebriated state and use a little known spell to extract their unedited memories without their knowledge. They could even isolate the kinds of memories they wanted.

Draco smiled to himself as he recalled some pretty lusty memories they extracted from the unassuming Pansy Parkinson several years ago.

Blaise caught his smile and nodded, knowing his friend was silently consenting to the game.

They would find someone, extract the memory, go home and laugh and drink as they watched through the pensive in Draco's luxurious home. They often put bets on the content of what they were about to see. Being from wealthy families and having achieved success themselves as adults, it was a high stakes game.

"Why this place?" asked Draco thoughtfully.

"Let's just say, a little birdy told me that there was a particularly interesting witch here, halfway through a bottle of fire whiskey and still drinking. I dare say this will be our best one yet – our crowning achievement," Blaise whispered thoughtfully.

"Oh marvellous, does that mean we get to retire?" poked Draco.

"I dare say it does Malfoy. It won't get better than this," he replied, pointing toward the corner.

There she was.

Hermione Granger, completely plastered, alone and teetering precariously on her bar stool. She was clearly lost in her own thoughts, her face moving through a range of emotions as she did so.

"You're a bad, bad man Zabini," laughed Draco as he lifted his wand inconspicuously to begin the spell.

* * *

Hermione had a splitting headache and couldn't escape the sense that someone was rummaging around her head. _Probably the fire whiskey_ she thought dismissively.

She was about to fall asleep on the bar when a warm and familiar hand landed firmly on her shoulder.

 _Harry_ , she breathed as she looked up.

"Oh Hermione," he said gently, "look at the state of you. Let's get you home."

She was aware of eyes on them around the bar. Harry Potter, 'The Boy Who Lived' carrying a barely conscious Hermione Granger out of a dark wizarding bar at two in the morning was not an everyday occurrence.

It was a low point she knew was going to regret it in the morning.

* * *

Draco watched as Harry Potter gently lifted Hermione and threw her over his shoulder. He wondered absentmindedly, what it would be like to have such a friendship. Their bond practically radiated from them.

He turned his attention back to her form. The blonde wizard hard never really noticed how petite and fragile she was. Her wit, intelligence and ferocity always made her look several feet taller than she actually stood. But stripped of that, she was small.

Like this she seemed like a paper doll, and so very helpless. He liked and disliked it in equal measure.

"Trust Potter to ruin the fun," said Draco in Zabini's general direction.

"Who said he did?" grinned Blaise, holding up a small vial that Draco recognized immediately.

"You sly prick," breathed Draco, suddenly more interested in the petite girl's memory than he had been before he saw her skirt hitch a little in Potter's arms.

* * *

Later in Draco's apartment they decided to start small.

Zabini bet Draco 100 galleons that Potter and Hermione had at least kissed. Draco bet that they had not. He knew she was hopelessly devoted to Weasley for some mysterious reason.

Why on Earth a woman that smart would be interested in a weasel like him, when she could have gone for _the boy who lived_ or you know, _literally anyone other than Weasley,_ was beyond him.

He was confident in his bet.

They had a lively debate for several minutes about why she would and why she would not have got it on with Potter.

In Zabini's view, Potter was (though he hated to say it) the most powerful wizard of all time. He also had plenty put away in Gringotts as well. Women were attracted to money and power. So, by his logic, how could she not have been attracted to him?

Draco disagreed, he felt that money and power were important to people like himself and Zabini, but not so much to people like Granger, a muggle born Gryffindor. He just couldn't picture Hermione caring about the contents of a wizard's vault.

After their little debate Zabini dropped the silver liquid into the swirling pool of the pensive and immediately they were transported into the memory of Hermione. Her memory of Harry Potter.

The memories felt warm and fuzzy. They were of the pair laughing and talking and embracing. There was one rather romantic memory of the pair dancing in some remote location. It was intimate, but it was clearly platonic.

Blaise reluctantly handed over the money to a triumphant Draco.

"Let's make this more interesting then," challenged Blaise. "I say, let's look at cruelty," he finished.

A sick part inside of Draco awoke at the suggestion. Could there be a part of the golden girl that wasn't so golden? He certainly hoped that was the case.

He may have not been Death Eater material but he was still a Malfoy, and Malfoy's always loved the dark side.

Zabini bet 1000 galleons that she had no dark side. She was relentlessly good and they would not find a single memory of cruelty, other than that one time she punched Draco in the face.

He laughed as he recalled hearing that Granger had punched his friend straight in the nose, on school grounds no less.

"Suppose I deserved it," recalled Draco. Zabini nodded his agreement.

He thought about his friend's bet for a moment and decided that for 1000 galleons he would risk that she was not quite so wholesome. After all, they had found her in a bar notorious for crime and dark magic, drinking fire whiskey alone and from the bottle. Surely that hinted that something else was going on there?

He wasn't sure why Blaise was so adamant about her virtue, it's not like her knew the girl, but Draco figured winning another 1000 galleons was worth the risk.

"Let the games begin," said Blaise theatrically as he poured the silver liquid into the beautiful marble pensive.

Immediately, they were transported to Malfoy Manor several years in the past. Draco's stomach turned when he realised what this memory was.

Hermione lay on the floor, Mudblood carved into her arm and bleeding slowly after having been tortured by his aunt. His younger self stood silently in the corner.

Blaise observed the scene with wide eyes. 'Mate, I knew this happened…but seeing it is something else.. this is going to be an interesting one," he said, his eyes planted firmly on the bleeding girl.

Draco noted that her gaze drifted to his younger self, something he never noticed at the time. He had been too busy trying to mentally remove himself from what was happening. Her lack of disappointment and her lack of hope that he would help were written all over her face. He felt a familiar pang of shame because of course she was right. He didn't help her.

All of a sudden they were in the grounds of Malfoy Manor. "Ah, the escape," remarked Blaise.

On the ground were two Death Eaters. One was his father.

Draco's interest was piqued. He never knew what went on in the grounds after they got away. He never even knew his father went out there.

Hermione stood over him menacingly, still bleeding from her wounds. It appeared she was using some kind of restraining spell on him and allowing the blood from her arm to drop onto his face.

"Have some Mudblood, you bastard," she screamed as the blood dropped onto the disgusted face of Lucius Malfoy.

The boys stood in silent horror as they watched the rest of the scene unfold.

The older Malfoy began to goad her. Confident that she would not harm him. That she didn't have the guts or the skill. Her face contorted with rage. Though, the rage was not the most disturbing thing. The disturbing part came when she became completely calm and still.

With a cold smile she pointed her wand at his father and yelled, " _Crucio_."

Draco turned to Blaise and saw his jaw drop. Hermione Granger was using an _unforgivable_. On Malfoy's father. It was unbelievable.

It seemed to go on forever. The glee with which she tortured his father was truly disturbing. She delighted in it much the same way that Bellatrix had delighted in torturing her only a few hours prior. She was enjoying herself. She told him so.

"Maybe I'll go find Draco, I would love to spend some time with him like this" she sneered.

His eyes widened as he watched.

"Don't you dare you filthy Mudblood b…" She cut him off with the flick of her wand and more torture.

"Shall I do this to him?" she continued, "or should I find your wife and torture you both until you end up in St. Mungo's with Neville Longbottom's parents? That seems like a nice punishment for him. Mummy and Daddy insane at the hands of the Mudblood," her voice like ice.

Blaise looked at Draco in disbelief. "We should go," he said. Draco stayed where he was. He needed to see what happened next.

It went on for what felt like forever. She only stopped when she heard the voices of Potter and Weasley in the distance.

"I guess we will need to finish this another time Mr. Malfoy," she said flatly and she used one last flick of her wand to bind him to a tree.

"I do hope someone finds you out here before you rot. It would be ever so sad to never meet again, no?" she said cruelly as she sauntered off, seemingly unfazed with what she had done.

The memory ended and Draco found himself staring back and forth between Blaise and the pensive in disbelief.

"We could sell that to the Prophet…" began Blaise, "Imagine how much they would pay for it, we could destroy her…" he continued before Draco cut him off.

Draco immediately pulled out the vial and smashed it to pieces on the floor.

"We tell no one," he growled.

For the second time in as many minutes Zabini's jaw dropped.

"You can't be serious," he asked incredulously.

"We will not speak of this to anyone. Especially the Prophet, or god forbid, Witch Weekly. Keep your galleons and get out of my apartment. We are done with this game," he said bluntly, his tone commanding.

Of course, Zabini had a backup vial.. as did Draco. They were Slytherins to the core, but he wanted to make a clear and symbolic statement with the smashing of the vial. They were done with this.

They were done with her memories of Malfoy Manor.

He thought of the petite little girl, like a paper doll. He thought about her arm and her blood. He thought about the years and years he called her names. He thought about what it must have felt like to have an entire army against you, wanting you and everyone like you to be dead.

Then he thought about his father and her threat. She had threatened him and he never knew. Had she ever been a danger to him? Or was it all talk?

He did not think she was bluffing, anyone who can use an _unforgivable_ with such conviction was to be taken seriously. That's the thing about _unforgivable_ curses...you have to mean them.

And what of Zabini's suggestion to go to the Prophet? To expose her and to destroy her image. Surely after what she said about him and his parents.. what she did to his father.. he should want that.. right?

He looked at the remnants of the vial that contained her secrets on the floor. Unsure if he had refused for himself and the Malfoy name, or for the petite little witch herself.

His breathing became heavy as he carefully removed a second vial from his pocket.

He thought about smashing this one too, but curiosity was getting the better of him.

 _What other secrets did Hermione Granger have?_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading - please stick with it as I think it does get better over time. The feedback I have had and the amount of reviews I have received have been overwhelming. Truly, Thank you.**


	2. SM Part 2: The Aftermath

**Disclaimer:** I don't own HP or the characters, though I sincerely wish I did. This is M for mature themes and should not be viewed by anyone under the age of eighteen, or the easily offended.

* * *

 **Part Two: Aftermath**

* * *

Hermione awoke with a splitting headache. She rolled off her bed ungracefully and began the humiliating crawl to the bathroom. She thanked Merlin she was alone and no one was around to witness her undignified Sunday morning.

She began to run herself a bath and stared at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was smudged, her hair was wild and she had an angry bruise forming on her upper thigh – probably from the bar stool Harry had to drag her from.

Exhaling loudly, she resolved that she would lay off the fire whiskey in the future. She also resolved that she should probably start dating again – lest she start spending every Saturday night alone in wizard dive bars.

Her brain felt foggy and some of her more unpleasant memories were swirling unusually close to the surface. Why on Earth after all these years was she thinking of Draco Malfoy?

She did her best to push the memories back into the vault in her mind where they lived.

"No more of this Hermione," she said to her reflection. "No more of this."

* * *

Draco had thought about what he saw all night. Still no closer to a resolution about how he felt. Still undecided about whether or not to violate her memory further.

He had everything he needed in the vial to sort through her memories for any juicy thing he wanted.

Briefly, Draco dabbled with looking into her lusty memories (the image of her skirt hitching over Potter's shoulder clear in his mind). But the idea of coming face to face with Ron Weasley's naked arse put a quick halt to that.

He thought about the numerous Ministry of Magic parties he had bumped into her at. She seemed her usual disgusted but mostly disinterested self. There was nothing to suggest she had ever threatened his life or tortured his father.

But then again, as the Golden Trio's Princess, her attention was monopolised by most of the key players in the Ministry and wizarding world, so even if he wanted to, he had never got to say more than a few words to her.

When she saw him, did she think of that day? Was she sorry, or guilty? On some level, he needed to know.

He decided to leave her memories for a while and speak to his father instead. He and his father were not particularly close these days, mostly because Draco had never quite forgiven his parents for essentially signing him up to be a Death Eater at birth.

Although the Malfoys' allegiance to Voldemort clearly faltered during the war, it is hardly as though they went and fought for the other side. They were just out for themselves – it was the Malfoy way.

Though, now a grown man, Draco was no longer sure the 'Malfoy Way' was the best way, or the one he wanted to live by.

He apparated to the Manor that morning to seek out his father.

Lucius had spent several years in Azkaban for his involvement with the Dark Lord, but had been released as he was no longer considered a security risk, especially given his wife and son were now considered reformed.

"Draco," greeted the older Malfoy with little warmth in his voice. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Father. I need to talk to you about the day Potter and his friends escaped the Manor," he spluttered.

"What ever for?" his father asked, his eyes narrow with suspicion.

"What happened in the grounds?" asked Draco, looking intensely into his father's eyes.

"Ah, is this about the Mudblood girl?" replied the blonde wizard coolly.

Draco winced at the use of the term _Mudblood_ but he let it slide. This did not go unnoticed by Lucius, who smirked in response. He did enjoy pushing Draco's buttons.

"Yes father, it is about her."

"How do you know?" asked the older Malfoy.

"I saw it. In a pensive. Don't ask me how, but I did." He replied. There was a long pause before his father opened his mouth to reply.

"Impressive, wasn't she?" replied Lucius, his eyes dancing.

"Impressive?" replied a shocked Draco, "That is what you have to say about that?"

"Yes Draco, that is what I have to say about _that."_

* * *

Draco had been pacing around by the pensive for what felt like an eternity. He was conflicted. His father seemed captivated by Granger's curse and Lucius Malfoy was not one to praise a muggle-born or anyone else for that matter.

That meant her curse was every bit as unyielding as it looked in the memory. Power and cruelty, were the only things that impressed his father, even to this day.

He felt sick for being so enthralled by it. By being so wrong about her. He was usually an excellent judge of character, always in control and rarely wrong about anyone. He could assess a person and have them wrapped around his finger in minutes. Find their preferences, dig at their weaknesses. Reading people was essential to being a master manipulator.

Again he wondered, how did he get Granger wrong?

Finally he gave in, uttering his father's name before dropping more liquid silver into the pensive.

All at once he was back in the grounds of Malfoy Manor as she retreated from his battered father. She was following the sound of Potter's voice.

He saw the concern in Weasley's eyes as he embraced her. "I thought I lost you 'Mione," he whispered. "Never," she replied with a tenderness he found shocking given what she had been doing to his father moments before.

Their lips grazed, making Malfoy flinch.

"Are there any other's back there?" interrupted Potter.

"I stupefied two of them," she replied in an even tone.

"Anyone we know?" asked Ron.

"No," she lied, without falter.

The world seemed to swivel as he was taken to another place in her memory.

She was sitting in a sterile office he recognized as being the therapists office all of the students caught up in the war had been sent to at the order of the Hogwarts Headmaster.

A mild mannered balding therapist was looking at Hermione with an unreadable expression. "Well Miss Granger, the question is this, do you regret using the _unforgiveable curses_? Focus on Mr Malfoy."

Draco caught his breath… _curses_ … curses _plural_. What else was he missing? What else did she do, and to whom?

He refocused on the task at hand and fixated on the situation unfolding.

"No," she answered, her tone was honest.

"Why?" asked the therapist.

"Because they deserved it. They were racist vile human beings who saw me as nothing more than garbage to be disposed of. It may have been Bellatrix who…" her voice wavered as she spoke, "who tortured me, but all of the Malfoy's were there. They enjoyed it. They believed it was okay. I was entertainment to them. My pain was entertainment. Like a game of bloody wizards chess. Well FUCK that." Her voice grew in volume.

"Lucius deserved what I did to him in the forest. It was probably the only justice I will ever really get. I regret nothing."

The familiar swirling feeling returned and he realized he was moving to another place in her memory.

This time he found himself watching her reading the newspaper in an apartment that clearly belonged to her and Weasley. She slammed her fist on the table and cried out in frustration.

"They let Lucius out of Azkaban. It's not fair. They all get to move on with their lives after what they have done. Our friends and family are still dead. I've still got MUDBLOOD scarred onto my arm," she ranted.

Ron rested his hand on hers comfortingly. "We can't let them take more from us by being angry. That just gives them power. Power they don't _deserve_." He said wisely.

"I don't _deserve_ you," she replied tenderly. Their lips met softly and then with increasing passion. Draco was transfixed.

Her memory swirled yet again and he was standing in their bedroom. Ron was asleep and Hermione was rising from the bed. She was wearing only Ron's T-shirt and was clearly disheveled from lovemaking. She looked beautiful, noted Draco.

She walked into the bathroom and he followed. There she was staring into the mirror for some time.

" _The Malfoy's don't matter_ ," she repeated, over and over. Eventually she nodded, seemingly satisfied by her affirmation.

Draco emerged from the pensive reeling. _"The Malfoys' don't matter!"_ he snorted to himself.

* * *

Hermione's brain itched and she began to feel surer and surer that something untoward had happened to her at the bar. She resolved to look into it.

That night she took home a number of large text books from the Ministry to begin to try and establish why her brain felt like it had been in a blender and why she had been plagued by old memories, long buried, all day long.

At about midnight she found the answer in an old spell book. She spent most of the remainder of the night brewing potions and practicing the kind of old magic needed to establish whose finger prints were all over the magic that had been fumbling around her mind.

* * *

On Tuesday morning Draco Malfoy walked into his office in the Dark Arts department of the Ministry of Magic. His receptionist was beside herself. "What's wrong Daphne?" asked Draco, pretending to be concerned for his admittedly attractive but insufferably thick receptionist.

"Someone has locked themselves in the office and charmed the door so only you can enter. I have no idea how they got in here or what they want. Should I get an Auror?" she asked, panicked.

Draco figured it was Zabini, pissed about Saturday night and wanting to mess with him. He told his receptionist to go fetch him some coffee and not to worry before he opened the door.

On entry he felt a freezing gust of wind as the door swing shut and bolted behind him.

Sitting behind his desk was none other than Hermione Granger, wand in hand.

"Give me one good reason I should not hex you and Zabini into oblivion?," she said in a way that was somehow sweet and threatening at the same time.

 _Oh Gods._


	3. SM Part 3: Almost

**Disclaimer:** M for mature themes and foul language. I don't own HP or make money from this story.

* * *

 **Part Three: Almost**

* * *

Draco refused to flinch or back down. He knew she would not do anything to him within the walls of the Ministry. She valued her career too much. They stared at each other for several seemingly never ending moments before Draco broke the silence.

"Here to throw some _unforgiveables_ at me like my dearest father?" he asked, a trademark Malfoy smirk on his face.

Hermione wanted to slap it right off. She returned his smirk and narrowed her eyes. He had never seen her face in this expression before. In his mind he thought back to their school days and her public persona since the war. Fierce but timid. Always kind.

"No Draco, I am not here to harm you. Although, since you've already _stolen my memories_ I feel I simply must be candid," she said, as she rose to her feet.

She was dressed in her work attire, a tight fitting pencil skirt, black heels and a loose fitted white blouse. Her hair was pinned tightly and her makeup was natural, with tainted red lips. Draco gulped, though not loudly enough for her to catch.

He had not been alone with her since they were children. It was making him nervous, though he would never admit it to anyone, especially her. She had become an attractive and imposing woman.

Hermione continued to walk towards him until she was directly in front of him. She was so close he could smell her perfume. He noticed her hand was still gripped tightly around her wand, although he knew she was an accomplished enough witch to use wandless magic these days – she was sending him a message. She wanted him to know what she could do.

"Watching your father squeal like the pig he was, truly is one of my greatest memories," she said with a genuine smile. Draco stood motionless waiting her to finish what she had clearly come to his office to say.

His facial expression moved to read something along the lines of – _Get on with it Granger._

"I've already paid a little visit to Zabini who assures me you smashed the vial. Probably out of embarrassment that a teenage girl got one over on your Death Eater father. However, I am not so naive as to think a Malfoy would not have had a backup, after all, Blaise had one. Am I wrong Draco?"

He was stunned she had used his first name, which threw him, but he made a swift recovery and returned her intense gaze and raised her a Malfoy sneer.

"Always too smart for your own good Granger. Still a know-it-all I see… some things don't change. Is that why not even Weasley could stand to be with you anymore?" he snapped.

He felt a sharp pain in his cheek as she slapped him with what he imagined to be the full force her petite body could muster. Before he could recover she flicked her wand and he felt the same binding used on his father drag him to the floor. "Fuck Granger calm down, you're in the Ministry for fucks sake! I could have you fired for this!" he yelled.

"Oh yes, you would love that wouldn't you Malfoy? You just hate that little old me and my dirty blood have bested you at every turn during and AFTER Hogwarts. You bullied me and laughed at me and still I beat you, and now even as an adult you are still petty enough to violate me in a bar for your own amusement." Draco lay motionless, unable to think of a coherent response to her venomous onslaught.

"What's your plan?" she continued, "You going to sell it off to Skeeter and the Prophet? Destroy my reputation and possibly my career? Go to the Minister? Black-mail me? I doubt I have anything you want given your family's hideous and obnoxious wealth but it seems like something you would do for fun..." her rant continued.

* * *

Hermione could feel herself ranting – but it just felt so good to have Malfoy as a captive audience, after all he and his awful family had done to her over the years. The idea that he was still messing with her and sabotaging her life was too much to cope with. She was sick of the pressure.

Her childhood and youth were lost to fighting evil and for the good of wizard kind (not that she regretted it) but she had hoped her adulthood might be less problematic.

But it wasn't to be. Her adult life was lost to fame, unhappy relationships, emotional damage from war and the intense expectations of the public for her to continue her crusade to save the world. She just wanted some bloody peace.

Now here was this obnoxious, intelligent, gifted, frustratingly attractive man with everything in the world, who had tormented her for years, coming back into her life to make it even more difficult than it already was. She finally hit pause on her spinning mind and sat down on the chair in front of Malfoy's desk.

Wordlessly she levitated him to his chair, noticing that he appeared to be too stunned to speak. _Poor guy,_ thought Hermione. _Poor guy? Pfft stop with the sympathy,_ she told herself.

"So here is what is going to happen Malfoy. Tomorrow night you will meet me at the same bar at 7pm. You will bring with you whatever else you have of my memory. That will be that. We will draw a line under it, no retaliation either side."

Malfoy, still bound (but glad to be upright) nodded, clearly deciding now was not the time to continue to fight.

She got up and moved to the door. When she reached it she turned back on her heel, released the spell and added, "I would be ever so grateful if you could keep quiet about the contents of my mind. I would hate to have to report you for practicing illegal, dark and immoral magic – I imagine given your background the Ministry won't be too forgiving about second chances. Which would be a pity – I've heard you're good at your job, against all odds."

With that, she was gone. Leaving a dumbfounded Draco Malfoy alone, still sitting at his desk.

* * *

 _Fucking bitch_ , thought Malfoy as he twirled the vial between his fingers. Ending with a backhanded compliment like that. Who did she think she was? _Good at my job? Against all odds? Pfft._ Though he did have to admit she had him by the balls.

If he went to the Prophet his family would be discredited, he would be exposed as the leak and caught for illegal activity. A former Death Eater stealing the memories of a War Hero and member of the Golden Trio would not go down well. Granger was so idolized she could probably throw a killing curse at him outside of a children's hospital on Christmas day and still be loved. He snorted at that thought.

Not even he had felt that sorry for his father watching him suffer at her hands. He couldn't imagine the general public being at all sympathetic. Nope, whichever way he looked at it, he would be the loser in all of this. He had to surrender the vial.

That said, had one more evening with it so why not have some fun? He may as well get some entertainment out of it given the headache it had caused him. Bloody Zabini and his bar games.

He decided to look for any more memories of his father. Upon entering her memory he was instantly in a swanky looking ballroom. It looked like one of the Ministry's affairs and he saw many familiar faces.

Hermione was there, dressed in a beautiful dark green ball gown. She looked ravishing in the Slytherin House colour. Given her apparently secret aptitude for manipulation, torture and threats, perhaps the sorting hat got it wrong all of those years ago. Then again, back then a muggle-born would not have been welcome in Slytherin, no matter how devious she could be, he thought to himself.

She was walking towards a man he instantly recognized to be his father. Draco sighed as he walked towards them. Of course the older Malfoy did not tell him about this when he had asked. Secretive just for the sake of it. Always withholding. That was him. Draco had long since resigned himself to the truth that his father would never change.

He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek, something so unexpected by Malfoy he would have fallen over, had he not been inside of someone else's memory at the time. "Miss Granger, what a delightful surprise," said Lucius artificially.

"Still concerned with keeping up appearances I see Mr. Malfoy," she replied carefully. The pair smiled at each other falsely yet again. It made Draco feel sick.

It was at this moment the Minister for Magic approached greeted them both warmly. "So wonderful to see reconciliation between such famous figures on both sides of the war. Setting an example for others is a prime example of the Ministry way! Well done you two," he said brightly.

"Oh yes Minister," replied Hermione. "I was so happy to run into Lucius here, see, it had been a while since we had seen each other and we were abruptly cut off before we got to say goodbye properly," she said to the Minister sweetly. She made eye contact with his father, who smirked.

"What a shame, no time like the present to remedy that" said the Minister, clearly oblivious to the subtext of the conversation. "Remedy it we shall," replied Malfoy Senior with a wicked smile.

Of course Hermione was playing games with his father, bringing up their last meeting like that. The strangest part was that the older Malfoy was playing along. It seemed as though he was almost enjoying what was going on.

The Minister walked away to continue to circulate leaving the two of them alone once more. Malfoy watched intently, fascinated by this interaction.

"Well Miss Granger, what a pleasure our little chat has been," he said, with less malice than Draco had been expecting.

"I do so love to see you Lucius, it reminds me of what a _wonderful_ time we have had together," she said with a smile Draco thought was almost playful. His father returned the smile.

"It is ever such a shame you're not a pureblood Hermione," _WAIT WHAT? He's smiling, he's calling her Hermione? He wishes she was a pureblood?_

"Your subtle cruelty, fabulous professional success, and, may I politely say, your beauty in Slytherin house colours," his eyes drifted down to Hermione's curves in her ball gown, "would have made Draco and excellent wife."

Hermione clearly could not help but snort at this as she took a large gulp of her Champagne. Draco felt slightly put out. She should be so lucky as to be a Malfoy wife.

"Always a pleasure Lucius," she said as she walked away casually.

It was an elaborate game between them with so much left unsaid. The strangest part, mused Draco, was that it was _almost_ flirtatious. _Almost_ , if you didn't know better.

"Wicked witch," said the older Malfoy under his breath.

 _Indeed_ , thought Draco.


	4. SM Part 4: Tell Me About It

**Disclaimer:** Still for mature audiences only. Still don't own HP.

* * *

 **Part Four: Tell me about it**

* * *

After a restless night of attempting to sleep, Draco gave up and decided to head in to work early.

His assistant had placed a copy of the Prophet on his desk. Ordinarily he would not read such trash but the photo on the front cover caught his eye.

It was the Golden Trio smiling brightly into the camera at a charity ball for house elves. Hermione was sandwiched between Potter and Weasley, their arms intertwined. The image moved, revealing Weasley whispering something to Granger which caused her to throw her head back and laugh. He rolled his eyes.

The article read:

 _"_ _The ball was organized by none other than Ms. Hermione Granger, a prominent figure in the war against you-know-who and long-time friend of Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Since the Battle of Hogwarts and her subsequent graduation, Ms. Granger has gone from strength to strength in her career and was the youngest witch ever to be appointed head of department in the Ministry of Magic. Radiant in green, Ms. Granger said it was a pleasure to have her best friends by her side. Since the battle, Mr. Potter has gone on to a successful career as an Auror with Mr. Weasley as his partner. Mr. Potter married Mr. Weasley's sister Ginny in a tasteful ceremony on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch last summer…"_

He could not stand to read any further. Potty and Weasel were never his favourite people.

Draco wondered if it was a coincidence that the very night he should decide to look at a memory of Hermione and his father, she should choose to wear the same dress, knowing she would be on the front cover of every newspaper in the wizarding world the next day.

Any time the Trio were photographed together it was big news. Was she sending him a message?

He felt deeply unsettled at the thought that perhaps she had established a way in which to spy on him.

Draco knew he had no right to feel that way given that if she was monitoring the memories he was viewing, she would only be spying on him spying on her. But he felt uncomfortable none the less.

If she could work out how to do that, what else could she do? After all, they had been stealing memories for show for years and no-one else had ever worked it out.

Her ability to detect dark magic (even if it was not intended to be malicious) and get to the bottom of it in the time frame she did was downright impressive. Impressive but terrifying.

Even he had to admit that.

* * *

Hermione waited anxiously in the same dingy bar in which Draco had stolen her memories to begin with. She had of course, found a way to reverse engineer the spell to see what exactly he was viewing.

From what she could tell, he and Zabini had looked at her memories with Harry.

 _How original,_ she thought. People had been climbing over themselves for years to find out if she and Harry had some kind of illicit affair. The truth was they were simply friends, the best of friends. They were all desperate for gossip where there was none.

For her, it had always been Ron, not Harry.

Although the relationship failed, there were no hard feelings, but things would never be the same, of course.

He had recently rebounded with Lavender Brown, who was substantially less mental than their school days. She was happy for them and glad he was with someone more compatible. After what they went through as kids, they all deserved some happiness. Especially Ron.

She knew Draco had been inside her memory again last night, this time he seemed to be focused on her memories about Malfoy Senior.

Presumably, their viewing of the _crucio_ incident had aroused his interest. It was quite brazen given he knew she had been able to find out the first time. It was not a stretch for him to conclude that she could also establish what he was viewing.

She resented that her mind was being violated in such a way, by Malfoy no less. She was looking forward to giving Draco a piece of her mind (regardless of the pun), but needed to be careful not to incur too much of his wrath.

He had settled into his life as a Ministry worker well, enjoyed some success and basically assimilated into wizarding life effectively after the war, but at the end of the day, he had been a Death Eater and a dark wizard. She knew full well he could easily revert back to form and was not interested in provoking an ongoing feud. She had to admit he was a formidable wizard and not an enemy she wanted.

The Malfoy family were dangerous.

If the _crucio_ incident came to public light it could also quash her political aspirations. After all, Hermione wanted to be Minister for Magic one day.

With that said, Malfoy also had much to lose in exposing her, so she hoped that she could manage the situation before it became more volatile. So long as she could keep her cool.

 _Maybe don't attack him in his office again Hermione_ , she thought to herself, frustrated that she let her temper get out of control.

* * *

He flounced into the bar fifteen minutes late, having resolved to keep her waiting after her ludicrous power play in his office. He was a Malfoy after all, and Malfoys don't respond well to demands.

She was sitting alone in a dirty looking booth (he still hated this place as much as he did when he came with Zabini) staring into her fire whiskey. He made a show of wincing and dusting off the seat before he sat down, God forbid she think he actually liked this place.

Her eyes rolled at the snobby display.

"Do you have the vial Malfoy," she spat, eyes narrowed.

"Tell me one thing Granger," he replied coolly.

She said nothing, using her hand to gesture that he continue.

"The dress you wore last night. It was the same as the one you wore to the ball where you spoke to my father, correct?" he asked.

"You are quite correct Malfoy," she replied cautiously.

"Did you do that deliberately?" he asked, his tone accusatory.

"I did," she replied matter-of-factly.

"So I am correct in assuming you found a way to trace the magic back to see what I saw" he ventured.

"Correct again Malfoy, 10 points to Slytherin," she smirked.

"No need to be so defensive Granger, it's only the two of us after all. Don't forget I know your little secret. The Golden Trio's princess was out there throwing around _unforgiveables_ at war tim _e_. What would your adoring public think? Tisk tisk. Very bad witch." He said in a low tone.

"Perhaps you should learn to be more discreet like your father Malfoy," she snapped. "After all, your family are hardly in a good position to be believed over me. Not to mention the fact that I helped you stay out of Azkaban, or have you forgotten that?"

Malfoy faltered. It is true that she and Potter did testify on his behalf at his trial. Potter also testified for his mother after the events in the Dark Forest.

"You really are an insufferable git Malfoy," she continued to rant. "What in the hell were you and Zabini doing anyway?"

Malfoy wasn't sure why he decided to be honest with her. Perhaps because he felt like he owed her that much after prying into her most personal memories. Perhaps it was her reminder that she had helped protect his family from Azkaban. Whatever the reason, he told her truthfully about the little game he and Zabini had played.

He told her that they would make large bets on the memories they took. That it was mostly harmless fun until they took hers. Usually it was just embarrassing family secrets and the odd teacher student affair (example being Pansy Parkinson).

He even told her about the bet regarding Potter. Her face was impassive as he explained that curiosity got the better of him regarding his father – a man who he feels he never really knew. He left out his curiosity about her. The image of her skirt hitching as Potter carried her from the bar stool which sat a few feet away invaded his mind. He quickly pushed it back.

When he was done talking she smirked. "Tell me about Pansy Parkinson," she said with a wicked smile.

"Tell me why you and my father flirt?" he countered, a glint in his eye.


	5. SM Part 5: Why?

**Disclaimer:** As always, I don't own the characters or profit from this. This remains M for mature audiences only.

* * *

 **Part Five: Why?**

* * *

She threw her head back and laughed so loudly it attracted the attention of several nearby tables.

Draco Malfoy, reformed Death Eater and Hermione Granger - war heroine, seated together and laughing was not a common sight in the wizarding world. It appeared she was making a habit of being a strange sight, at least where this crappy pub was concerned.

To be fair, anyone laughing in the presence of Draco Malfoy was unusual - he was a miserable git. It was well known. The Prophet gossip section routinely speculated this is why he was yet to meet a nice pureblooded witch and settle down into creating and heir for the Malfoy name and fortune. Not that it stopped them throwing themselves at him. He was, after all, a ridiculously attractive and obscenely wealthy man.

This strange behaviour from the pair of them was attracting whispers.

Hermione scowled and muttered _Muffliato_ under her breath to regain some privacy. She paused, observing the annoyance of their spectators, now deprived of whatever it is they were hoping to hear.

"Well, get on with it Granger," he persisted, curiosity well and truly having got the better of him regarding this strange dance she and his father had been doing.

"Are you jealous Malfoy?" She asked, her playfulness distracting him from his scowling momentarily.

"Ha, you should be so lucky Granger" he snapped.

"Ever so lucky" she said, batting her eyelashes with dramatic sarcasm. She rolled her eyes before continuing.

"Oh do come on Draco I would have thought it would have been obvious. We flirt because we have a secret," she said.

"I'm going to need you to elaborate Granger, you see, for those of us who are sane, torturing someone mercilessly generally does not result in ongoing flirtation between you and said victim," he probed.

"First of all, I did show him mercy - I could have killed him on the spot. I spared his life, even after what he and your family had done to me. That _is_ mercy," she scoffed.

"Well I wouldn't..." Malfoy began before being cut off immediately.

"Your father knows I showed him mercy. Your father also knows the strength of my _Cruciatus Curse_. In short - the man knows what I am capable of... do you understand yet Draco?" She asked, exasperated.

"I'm afraid I don't see what this has to do with the strange... whatever it is... you have with my father" he replied.

"Urgh, for someone who was second to me in school you really are dim Draco Malfoy," Hermione groaned.

"Your father is a bad man. He values cruelty, power and status above all else. He knows I'm powerful, he knows I can be cruel and these days I have rather a lot of status as well, if you hadn't noticed," she said, smirking. This caused Malfoy to roll his eyes at her reference to her ongoing level of fame.

She ignored him and continued on, "since the war, he has had to be on his best behaviour. He's had to avoid any reference to his old life to stay out of Azkaban. He respects me because I possesses the qualities he holds dear - but he can't be open about those values given Voldemort is no longer around. That said, he can be open about it with me. In the little games we play when we're around each other..."

Draco was quite captivated by her analysis of his father, though he kept his usual look of disinterest so as not to undermine his persona.

"Okay so that explains why my father behaves that way around you, now explain why you behave that way with my father," he asked. She was impressed that he had picked up on her misdirection. Talking about the motivation of Lucius was much more preferable than talking about her own.

"Because he's the only one I can be wicked with," she replied simply. Draco was taken aback.

"Okay, I'll bite, how about you elaborate further Granger," he asked, his tone betraying his heightened level of interest despite his previous attempts to appear disengaged.

"Everyone is a mixture of good and bad. Light and dark if you will. Your father is mostly, if not entirely, dark. I think it's fair to say I'm mostly, but not entirely, light. That said- you've seen for yourself that when pushed I really can delight in being cruel. I'm powerful. I have a temper. I have secrets. I enjoy things people wouldn't guess I would enjoy. I'm capable of more than is expected of me. But I am, as you might say, the "princess of the Golden Trio" or whatever twaddle people use to describe me. The book worm with the courageous heart of gold and all that. I mean, it's somewhat true - but not entirely. I never get to be anything other than my public persona. Except of course when your father and I get to tease each other at stuffy ministry and charity functions... I get to relive what I did and the freedom of being bad and he gets to relive a time when he could be who he was too... our kindness, our flirting... it's all a game- a veiled threat that perhaps one day we will get to be these people again...a message that we're both ready… Please tell me you're getting this now Draco because I'm sick of the sound of my own voice," she sighed.

"Are you saying if given the chance, you would want to torture my father again?" asked Draco incredulously.

"If he comes to deserve it again, I would be delighted to," said Hermione seriously.

"And you think he would like to try to kill you again, given the right conditions and opportunity?" He asked carefully.

"Absolutely," she affirmed. "Although I think he would find it a shame. After all, you know he likes the way I look in a ball gown," she added with a smirk, clearly goading Malfoy.

He did his best to ignore her last statement.

"What about me, what do you think I want?" Snapped Draco. "Am I being myself or am I a big fake like my father, waiting for the day when I can start spilling the blood of muggle-borns all over the floors of the Ministry?"

She let out a villainous giggle that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

Hermione looked at him through her thick lashes intently for a few moments before reaching out to cup her hand over his.

"Muggle-born blood on the Ministry floors? I'd like to see you try that," she laughed.


	6. SM Part 6: When I Say So

**Disclaimer:** M for mature audiences. I don't own HP

* * *

 **Part 6: When I Say So**

* * *

Draco had been thrown by her up to now but was slowly returning to his usual demeanour.

"Well Granger, you'll be pleased to know that I have no grand scheme to spread the blood of you and those like you over the Ministry floors, so you need not worry about that. As for my father, I suppose I have to agree with your analysis. The second some new version of the Dark Lord rises up he'll be first in line to get on board," he said as her jerked his hand away from hers.

"And you Draco, why am I to believe you are any different than him?" she asked icily, clearly offended that he rebuffed her friendly gesture.

"He's an asshole, its terminal. I like to think I am curable," he said matter-of-factly. He was secretly delighted that he managed to illicit a genuine giggle from her. _See, you're not totally unlikeable Malfoy,_ he thought to himself.

His hand dropped below the table to his pocket where the vial seemed to be burning a hole. It was certainly the elephant in the room.

"Granger?"

"Yes," she replied.

"I have another question," he said.

"Okay," she replied reluctantly.

"In the memory of you with that little bald psychiatrist who by the way, I did not like when I saw him either… He used curses as a plural, as if my father was not the only vict…" he caught himself and thought better of referring to his dear father as a victim. "Person, the only person, to have been cursed by you. Is that correct?" he asked carefully.

She froze. She had hoped he would miss that. She could not care less about her actions towards Malfoy Senior, but the other incident was entirely more personal. She suddenly became aware that their discussion had distracted her from the task at hand which was to get the vial back.

"I think you have poked around in my brain enough Malfoy. I want the vial back now," she demanded, her tone calm but firm.

"Well Granger, I don't take well to demands," he said resolutely, straightening his back against the booth in order to use his height to stare down at her.

She felt a small knot form in her stomach.

"What do you plan to do with it?" she asked, trying to sound as calm as possible. He smirked, sensing her unease. That's how he liked people to feel in his presence.

"Don't worry Granger I am not going to take it to the Prophet or drag you before the Minister – your secret is safe with me," he said in an alarmingly reassuring manner.

"But Zabini and I took them for some fun, and I don't think the fun is over yet," he continued.

"When is the fun over for you then Malfoy?" she spat, his name like acid on her tongue.

"When I say it is," said Malfoy darkly.


	7. SM Part 7: Realisation

**Original Notes:** Help! I have some ideas for the big reveal re: Hermione's final _unforgivable_. BUT I am not sure how dark I want to go. I have a range of options ranging from the same sort of torture of Lucius level (ultimately harmless but still pretty bad ass) through to downright dark (violence/death/ruthlessness/never think of her the same way again. Since I would enjoy writing either, I would love it if those of you who have been following the story and reviewing could tell me what you would like best and I'll go with that. Thanks to "Alesia G," whose review inspired the dialogue in the first part of this chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** This is rated M for a reason. Do not read if you are underage or not into mature content. The smut will come (but not in this chapter... building building my friends) I don't own these characters, if I did I would be sunning myself in Tahiti.

* * *

 **Part Seven: Realisation**

* * *

"How are you any better than Voldemort?" she snapped, her eyes full of contempt. "Violating my privacy and my mind. My mind Malfoy. My most personal space."

Malfoy scoffed. "Don't compare me to him, I'm not like him!"

"I'll compare you to whoever I want you bastard," she barked.

"Well, you're wrong Granger, and calm down for Merlin's sake, I don't want a scene," he said evenly.

"You don't want a scene? You don't want a scene?" Her indignant voice began to escalate as her hand shot out to point at him accusingly.

"I'll give you a scene Draco Malfoy," she hissed, but was promptly cut off when he grabbed her wrist firmly in his hand, restraining the petite witch effortlessly.

"Calm down Granger," he whispered, his eyes drilling in to hers.

"I'll tell you why I'm different," he continued.

He paused a moment and when he was finally content that she had calmed a little, he gently placed her wrist on the table and let go.

"If Voldemort had your memories, he would use them to torture you, to destroy you and ultimately he would use them to kill you in the cruelest and most clever way he could think of. I will do no such thing. I have no desire to do a thing like that. But I've never claimed to be a good person like you and your precious Potter." The mention of Harry left a bitter taste in his mouth.

She had her arms folded, refusing to look at him.

He continued, "I am sick of you looking at me like I'm the bad guy. Everyone does it...Draco _'once a Death Eater always a Death Eater'_ Malfoy - and then you come along, _'Gryffindor princess,'_ with all of these secrets... practically eye-fucking my father no less… MY FATHER, you know, the guy you tortured?" He scoffed. His growing frustration evident in his muddled explanation.

She opened her mouth to protest but he swiftly cut her off, raising his hand to indicate that he was not done yet.

"You know what, fuck this. Just come home with me Granger," he finished abruptly.

"What the fuck Malfoy?" She shrieked. "Is that what this is about? You're going to blackmail me into sleeping with you!?"

He snorted. "Get over yourself Granger. Not everyone wants a taste of she who helped take down the Dark Lord. You would probably bore me to death in the first five minutes in the sack."

She opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it. _Not a challenge you want to accept Hermione._

"In addition to that point – I will have you know that I've never forced a witch to do anything like that with me - and I never will. I want you to come with me to go to the pensive. Let's have a look at that other _unforgivable_... I'm in the mood for something juicy, and who better to have with me for a running commentary than the wicked witch herself?" He said, his devious eyes bright with amusement.

"Then, once I've had my fun, and I know what a bad witch you've been - I'll think about giving back the vial."

She rose to her feet.

"Fuck you Malfoy," she said venomously before gesturing to the door.

It took her every ounce of restraint she could muster to prevent herself from using the _Imperius curse_ on the smug git. She could get her memories back and have him strip naked and run through the Ministry lobby on Monday for good measure.

 _But that would be illegal Hermione_ , she thought with a sigh.

He threw enough galleons to cover the bill on the table and followed her to the door, placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her out.

The gesture did not go unnoticed by several of the bars patrons.

In the alley way he told her he would need to hold her tightly for a successful apparition. "Oh goody," she remarked in a sardonic tone. "I bet that's what you say to all the witches you lure into dark alleys."

"Shut up Granger," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. Squeezing tightly he proceeded to take them both back to his apartment.

Once they had their footing he immediately released her from his grip. She already thought of him poorly enough without adding sexual predator to the list. Being accused of that once in a night was quite enough for him, thank-you-very-much.

"This won't end the way you think it will Malfoy," she said, her voice eerily calm.

"Why is that princess?" he asked in an exaggerated tone, hand to his heart.

"You've made the assumption that I hadn't prepared for this. Foolish really. I know we are barely on first name terms but you have known me for an awfully long time Malfoy. When have I ever not had a plan? When have I ever not prepared for something important?" she gently, her eyes sparkling.

A look of realization plastered itself across his angular face, causing a self-satisfied smirk to escape from Hermione.


	8. SM Part 8: Like Father, Like Son

**Original Notes:** Still plenty of time to give me your preferences re: Hermione's final _unforgivable_. Are we keeping it at about the same level as her torture of Malfoy Senior or shall we go all out and make her go daaaark? It's heading some type of way but I can still turn back in the interest of preserving the Gryffindor Princess. Feedback please.

 **Disclaimer:** Mature themes as always. till not my characters, still not in Tahiti.

* * *

 **Part Eight: Like Father, Like Son**

* * *

"Perhaps if you simply showed my son what you did, he would have the good sense to stay the hell away from you," mused Lucius Malfoy. It was the events of the last 24 hours that had led her to him...

* * *

That night after Draco had realised that she had edited her memory (even her unconscious memory) to hide her greatest sins and thrown a tantrum fit for a king (or a Malfoy) she had apparated the hell out of there.

The next morning she wondered if anything could possibly darken her mood more, then promptly discovered that it most certainly could when she received a delivery of the Daily Prophet.

The gossip section featured the faces of herself and Draco Malfoy, magically enhanced to be staring at each other lovingly. Cartoon love hearts poured off the page. It evoked a sensation in her akin to eating a vomit flavoured _Bertie Bott's_ jelly bean.

 _"_ _Rumour has it that Mr. Draco Malfoy (former Death Eater) was seen speaking in hushed tones with a flushed looking Ms. Hermione Granger (War Heroine) in a dark corner of 'The Toad's Head' last night. The bar is best known for dark magic and criminal activity (and the powerful privacy charms guarding it). Although the Prophet does not suggest that the pair (both holding respected offices within the Ministry of Magic) were engaging in any illicit activities, there is speculation that perhaps romance is brewing between the unlikely duo. The couple were last seen leaving the bar later that night - together."_

She immediately set it on fire with her wand and levitated it to the nearest trash can. Where it belonged. " _Couple my arse,"_ she muttered.

Her bigger concern was that she sensed that Draco was every bit as tenacious as she and would probably pursue it to the edge of the Earth. He seemed to have fixated on this like a dog with a bone.

It was her view that he may circle back to try and get more information from his father. She had heard that Lucius was not very forthcoming the first time he tried. She smiled at the thought.

Deciding to head him off at the pass, she arrived at Malfoy Manor in time for tea and scones in the garden.

The truth was she had not been _entirely_ honest with the younger Malfoy about her relationship with his father.

They were actually friends. Or 'frenemies' as they would say in a trashy tabloid like Witch Weekly.

Neither really trusted the other – but over time their mutual interests had lined up.

He had contacts and authority in the dark wizarding community and that had served Hermione well in her career.

Similarly, her testimony and ongoing protection had kept Lucius and Draco's mother out of Azkaban. A cordial relationship with someone of her status within the administration also helped him to restore the family's tarnished reputation.

In exchange for these things, he had kept her secrets with a loyalty and grace she did not believe possible in a Malfoy.

Their relationship was one of mutual interest. Secret keeping. A healthy dose of fear. _Mostly on his part given what she did to those poor Death Eaters…_

* * *

What she had said about the flirtation was true enough in a sense. The root cause was a shared secret (or several) - she had just left out the part about thinking Malfoy Senior was dead sexy. His classic features, piercing grey eyes and authoritative demeanour were hard to ignore. It was of course, a dark secret that she was more than a little ashamed of.

She flushed at the thought that Malfoy could have easily come across this in her memories - but missed it because he was too caught up in seeing what he wanted to, or what he thought he should. _Petulant git_ , she thought.

Lucius was similarly ashamed of his attraction to the filthy _mudblood_ who had dismantled the empire he had once devoted his life to. Not only winning the war, but also making him somewhat subservient to her in the aftermath _. Very distasteful._

 _This is not to say that they would ever act on their dark urges._

He loved Draco's mother and Hermione was not the kind of witch to undermine the sanctity of a marriage vow. Even if that vow was made in an evil, blood purist dynasty.

Frankly, she kind of got off on the fact that nothing would ever come of it. It was an exciting and electric feeling every time they would interact or have a clandestine meeting, should their mutual interests line up. There was something deeply arousing about something so forbidden it could never be, with the only person who knew the true depths of the dark places inside her.

The hair on her neck would stand on end in his presence. It was like being inside the most delicious prolonged shudder.

But by far, for Hermione, the very worst part of the whole thing was that his son appeared to have the same effect on her. She scowled as the that thought crossed her mind.

Giving her attention back to the older Malfoy she began to speak. "I really am not proud of that particular episode in my history," she said through gritted teeth.

"You really should be my dear… such artistry," he closed his eyes, as if to savour the memory.

"The way you delivered them to my door. Even the Dark Lord was impressed. I dare say if we won the war he'd have kept you around for that alone," he sighed, nostalgia written all over his face. "It's not every day someone manages to rattle even Bellatrix Lestrange."

"You are a sick bastard Malfoy," she said resolutely.

"What is that muggle saying Ms. Granger? Ah yes! – it takes one to know one," he replied without missing a beat.

"Stop trying to bait me Malfoy, what are you going to do about your wayward son?" she snapped.

"Do you trust me to handle it Hermione?" he asked her. His tone was serious and his eye contact chilled her to the bone. _Oh Merlin, not the shuddering again._

"Dare I ask Lucius?" she responded coolly, reaching for the delicate china teacup before her.

"Probably best not pet, you never like my methods," he purred sweetly.


	9. SM Part 9: A Message

**Original Notes:** Thanks for those who left feedback about how to proceed with our heroine. It seems like the consensus was that she could go dark as long as she had a good reason for it. So that's what I have gone with. Our girl has done a bad bad thing - but it was to bad bad people so we don't care so much!

Thanks especially to:

missmusician14 (I have taken your point re: Malfoy's brain needs to get into gear, it's in the pipeline I promise)

Alesia G (awesome support, useful insight on Draco's selfish character - some character growth on the way)

dixie326 (well done on guessing the path I was going down *wink*)

 **Disclaimer:** M for mature themes. Still don't own the Harry Potter franchise... or a Gucci bag.

* * *

 **Part Nine: A Message**

* * *

Draco sat impatiently in his fathers office at Malfoy Manor. He strongly disliked being summoned by the man.

That said, he enjoyed the spoils of the Malfoy fortune, so he had to put up with the odd summoning, as it were.

His father regarded him coldly, a look Draco was used to. His father was not a warm or loving man.

"I hear you have been harassing Miss Granger," he began.

"I've no idea what you're talking about," said Malfoy innocently.

"Do not bullshit me boy!" his fathers voice cut through the quiet office like a knife.

"Such distasteful language father - is the _mudblood_ , as you would have her called, corrupting your sensibilities?" Draco pressed boldly.

The older Malfoy smirked, refusing to respond to his sons obvious baiting.

"Hermione," he said calmly, knowing he would needle his son by using her name, "is an ally of this family, I will no longer stand for your harassment of her," he finished.

Dracos mouth fell open like a goldfish. _An ally of our family?_

"Don't be so naive son, it's a very unattractive quality in a Malfoy," his father snapped.

Draco was frustrated. It seemed as though he was permanently two steps behind Granger and his father. _Granger AND his father_ , he shuddered.

He was by no means an unintelligent wizard, but being bested again and again by his father and his former school foe was beginning to drive him insane.

"How do you think your mother and I stayed out of Azkaban? Why is it that the Ministry of Magic granted an opportunity to a former Death Eater from a dark wizarding dynasty?" he said gently, eyes shining.

"Granger..." Draco trailed off incredulously.

"Indeed. I have kept her secrets in exchange for a number of favours that she has performed largely without complaint - favours that we have all benefited from," he continued.

"I should not have to tell you what a powerful ally our Gryffindor Princess really is," he said, cocking an eyebrow.

Draco stared at him coldly. He didn't like his father using a possessive term towards her like " _our_ ," - no one owned her. _But you'd like to, would't you Draco?_ he thought darkly. He repressed the thought and focused back on his father.

"Draco, the Malfoy family are many things, much of them terrible in the eyes of those dictating the current political landscape, but we are loyal to our ally's and those that protect our family. We are bound by our tradition and family law in this regard," he continued.

Draco remained silent.

"She didn't have to help plead your case at the Ministry, I never asked her for that. Never blackmailed her. She did that on her own," he finished.

Draco floundered in the deafening silence as he took on this information, feeling his world view shift irrevocably.

All this time he had been regarding her at face value, never looking outside the bubble of his own self interest. Thinking she wanted to see him fail because that fit with his image of her. But how could that actually be true if it was she that helped him get to where he was?

He suddenly felt something that felt an awful lot like guilt. _It's easier to have no heart Draco_ , a small voice in his head reminded him.

Draco did not notice that Lucius had risen from his desk and moved behind him. He was pulled from his thoughts when his father placed a rigid hand on his shoulder, "come with me," he said.

* * *

The Malfoy family library was opulent and grand, the product of the wealth and intellect of hundreds of years worth of prominent pureblooded wizards.

When his father gently tapped his wand to an inconspicuous looking bookshelf Draco knew what was happening.

The shelf gave way and revealed a wooden room with a grand stone pensive sitting in the middle.

The older Malfoy regarded his son as he placed the tip of his wand to his head, a sliver of shining memory extracted itself. He threw it elegantly into the pensive.

"This is not what _she_ wants. But she never approves of my methods anyway. I know that you will never give up, after all, you have your fathers tenacity" he smiled. _Was that a compliment?_ wondered Draco.

"Come," he gestured for the boy to join him.

Draco did as his father instructed and soon they were inside the murky waters of a memory belonging to Lucius Malfoy.

They found themselves in the drawing room of the Manor. Lucius and the Dark Lord were seated together, no doubt plotting. Draco felt sick looking at the pair. Sick to have grown up in such a swamp.

He had never shared his fathers taste for destruction. He went along with it out of boyhood desperation. By the time he realized how wrong it was he was too far in to dig his way out.

Sure, he had always felt that he was better than muggle-borns, but as a Malfoy he was also taught that he was better than most pure blooded wizards too - so really, why set out to kill them all?

He just couldn't identify with a desire to murder and torture innocent people. People who wronged him, that was a different story. Someone who hurt someone he loved (not that he really loved anyone), perhaps. He was a Malfoy after all. But innocent people? No. It was a pointless waste of time and magic.

The idea that his father had at one time wanted to murder or enslave someone like Hermione for no reason other than her blood made his own blood boil. _But this was not the time to think about that._

The scheming pair were drawn out of the room by a commotion outside. Draco began to follow, his father trailing behind, enjoying his sons obvious anxiety about what he was going to see.

In the gardens of the Malfoy Manor two men, who Draco recognised to be low level lackeys in Voldemorts Army were stumbling towards the door.

 _Merlin_ , they were in a bad way. Both had clearly taken heavy beatings. Blood covered almost every inch of their bodies. They had been liberated of their shirts.

"What is the meaning of this?" Asked Voldemort in a cold authoritative tone that still made Malfoy shudder.

It seemed to have the opposite effect on his father, who was staring at the scene longingly.

The men knelt before Voldemort. Slowly they both extended their arms, the words "PUREBLOOD" had been carved into their skin, exactly where Bellatrix had left her mark on Hermione.

Draco spun around to look at his father who looked thoroughly amused. He felt sick. _Had she really done this?_

"Pay attention son," his father encouraged.

When Draco turned back to the scene what he observed both disgusted and fascinated him.

The men stood and told Voldemort that they had a message from " _the mudblood_." She had clearly instructed them to use the term.

They appeared to be fighting internal wars with themselves. Fighting against what they had been compelled to do. Their very being looked painful at this point.

"And what is that pray tell?" Asked Voldemort coldly, clearly no empathy for the men cowering before him. _Unsurprising_ , thought Draco.

"If she of impure blood is to ever find Bellatrix, or any Death Eaters brutalizing women again - our punishment will seem lenient."

Immediately, they removed daggers from their pockets and slit their own throats, falling to the ground in bloodied, broken looking heaps.

Dracos jaw dropped.

"The _Imperius curse_ " whispered the older Malfoy in his sons ear. "Used masterfully, if I may say so," he said, smiling maniacally.

Draco had to get out of there before he threw up. He couldn't look at the bodies a moment longer. He was never one for gore. Weak stomach.

* * *

"That bitch," he spat, back in the grand pensive room in Malfoy Manor.

"Now now Draco, ask yourself, why would our saintly little witch do such a thing to them? What do you think they did to deserve it?" He asked, his tone resembling that of a patient teacher.

"I don't fucking care what they did. She tortured them, she cut them, she instructed them to kill themselves... she's no better than any other Death Eater," he spat.

"Then she flounces around like some kind of angel while we're treated like monsters for the rest of our lives - the hypocrite" he ranted.

His father laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Malfoy, now irate.

"Because you do care about why she did it. You do know she must have had a good reason. A reason you'll come to agonize over," his father purred. "The funny part is, if you only paid attention her motivations would be obvious. You never listen Draco. You just _want_ to be angry."

"Is that so?" growled Draco, not really expecting an answer.

"You would do well to use that brain of yours before pushing away such a powerful ally," he finished flatly.

Malfoy glared at his father defiantly, making it clear that he did not appreciate the lecture or unsolicited advice.

"Besides, if you continue to threaten her, you've seen what she's capable of," his father said cuttingly, a glint in his eye.

"Speaking of threatening Ms. Granger, she told me about your little wrist grab. If I ever hear of you manhandling a witch again, especially this particular witch, I'll C _rucio_ you myself," he said menacingly.

"Why do you suddenly care about the ' _mudblood'_ father?" Spat Draco. "It's not like you haven't tortured and killed enough of them - need I remind you what the Manor dungeons are for?"

"Besting a witch in a fair duel using magic and intellect, then enjoying the spoils of your victory with all manner of curses - is entirely different to using brute force in place of skill," lectured the older Malfoy.

"Brute force is for the weak, I did not take you to be as such, but I have been wrong before," challenged Lucius.

Draco snorted. He knew his father had won, but he didn't have to like it.

"I won't tell you twice Draco, now get out of my sight," he snapped, waving his son away dismissively.

* * *

When he got back to his apartment he put his head in his hands. His resolved strengthened as he strode towards his pensive.

After several hours reviewing what he had seen he had come to a few conclusions.

Her threat about Bellatrix was entirely justified. He had witnessed her torture first hand and could not have blamed her for wanting retribution, but using other people was still completely unethical.

But something else struck had him, _"brutalizing women"_ \- the man had said.

Is that how the Death Eaters came into her cross hairs? Hurting women, women she knew... her? His heart sank at the idea that someone may have hurt her in that way.

He agreed with his father, brute force and sexual violence was disgusting. There was no honor to it. Any muggle could attack someone like that. It was behavior unfitting of a any wizard with a sense of poise and decency. It was behaviour absolutely forbidden in the Malfoy family. _Even to mudbloods._ He'd been using that word entirely too much that day, but his father had that effect on him.

If these men did that - did he have any sympathy for their fate? It seemed as though perhaps she gave them a fitting punishment. Her rage was written all over the theatrical show of magical force she had sent to Malfoy Manor that day. He couldn't really imagine that she was simply out for a stroll and decided to casually commit two murders with an _unforgivable curse._

He immediately took a piece of card and wrote one simple word.

 _"Sorry."_

* * *

Hermione thumbed the card absentmindedly. It was well made, expensive and contained only a simple message in green ink.

 _"Sorry."_

Of course she knew who it was from.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Harry.

Hermione quickly shoved the card into a space in her bag. It meant rather a lot to her, enough to be one of the few personal effects she took.

"As I'll ever be," she responded, smiling weakly.

"That's the spirit," said Ron, returning a weak smile.

"I'm thrilled you decided to join us Hermione, we've ended one war together - let's stop another in it's tracks, you know we would be useless without you" Harry whispered.

"It will be dangerous," the Minister for Magic interjected.

Hermione thought about her empty life. The lack of love. The long work hours. The things she had done during the war... seen during the war. The hateful look Malfoy gave her for what she did to his father. That's how everyone would look at her if only they knew. Knew that she gave in to the darkest of impulses. That even she had a limit.

She recalled a distant memory of Dumbledore's advice. _A life without love is not worth living._ Well she sure had very little of that.

"I have nothing to lose," she replied defiantly, confident in her decision.

"Good luck - I hope we meet again," the Minister said solemnly, sending the young heroes to an unknown fate.

The trio held hands tightly and in a blink, they were gone.


	10. SM Part 10: Righteous Anger

**Original Notes:** Please note there are some sexual assault implications here. Nothing too graphic but please do not read if this is a trigger for you. Feel free to leave a review and I will send you an amended chapter so you can continue on without it if it is an issue. This is mostly about Draco developing as a human. Becoming a fraction less self interested (a fraction) Thanks for reading.

 **Disclaimer:** Still rated M. I don't own the Harry Potter franchise. If did I would be on a cruise ship in the Caribbean tonight. Spoiler: I am not.

* * *

 **Part Ten: Righteous Anger**

* * *

It had been one hundred and twenty days since he last saw Hermione Granger.

Time seemed to move at a pace that was glacial and torturous. He avoided clocks because he felt like the hands were mocking him. He avoided food because he couldn't keep it down.

He tried not to register the permanently worried look on the Minister's face. Tried to ignore the uneasy mutterings of his colleagues.

Their departure was not made public, even internally, until after the fact. Not even Draco, a senior member of the Defence Against the Dark Arts area of the Ministry had been aware of their Golden Trio's agreement to go on the Ministry's little suicide mission.

He found out after the fact that Granger had been the last to agree. Shortly after the night at the bar.

Despite his best attempts at avoidance, guilt plagued him. Did he drive her to it? To try and be a martyr after what she had done? Was she punishing herself?

* * *

The _"Sorry,"_ note was not their last contact of course.

In true Granger fashion she had sent a reply before running off with Potty and Weasel to try to get themselves killed for the umpteenth time.

 _"Have them,"_ it said, along with a delicate vial of silver liquid wrapped in a red bow. She had used red ink to counter his green. Ever the house loyalist.

It had taken him some time to get up the courage to look at what she sent him. Knowing it would be the unedited memory she had kept from him (and everyone else). He wasn't sure he wanted to see what led this woman to do something so despicable.

He figured the first thing his father did when he left the Manor was send an owl to his bosom buddy, letting her know all about what he had seen.

She probably already knew he had seen the other side of her actions. Wanted to tell her side of the story. _Or maybe the sorry note softened her_ , he dared to hope.

It bothered him that she and Lucius appeared to share a strange bond. A closeness.

Truthfully. he was envious. His father of all people appeared to have built a bridge. All Draco knew how to do was burn them down.

Look at how he had messed things up with Granger, someone who had actually gone out of her way to help him. The woman who had even kept some of her humour about the stolen memory fandango, until he pushed it too far.

Her obvious physical attraction to his father (which was clearly mutual) also bothered him, although his response to that was one of jealousy rather than envy. _Why not me?_ He found himself thinking bitterly.

Yes, it had been one hundred and twenty long days since he had seen her - and he was beginning to wonder if he would ever see her face again.

* * *

When he finally did it, her memory felt very cold, because she was very cold, he supposed.

She was injured and had lost blood. They had snatched her and taken her to a wretched place, throwing her into a dungeon like a piece of garbage.

Draco felt his pulse quicken.

It took a moment for her to rise to her feet and survey her surroundings. That was when she was met with the full horror of the scene. Draco's weak stomach struggled to remain calm.

There were bodies, living and dead, contorted and violated. Their eyes. _Oh god their eyes._

Some of the people in the room were living, women chained to walls laying on filthy mattresses. His heart sank. His suspicions had been confirmed.

She was not bound, but she had no wand and was very injured. _Not a threat enough to bind_ , he reckoned.

It was clear that Granger needed immediate medical attention. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to comfort her – but it was no use.

He tried to ease himself with the knowledge that she was going to get out of that place. This was just a memory.

True to form, she seemed to disregard her own pain as she immediately began to comfort the women…and girls… some of them were only girls. _Fuck._

It was obvious what they had been kept there for. Suddenly Draco felt grateful to know that these poor excuses for wizards would soon end up dead at her hands.

The memory moved and swirled as if to indicate some time had passed. A new day perhaps, he was not sure.

She waited for them to return. She had a plan, or so she told a young girl he recognized from Hogwarts. She was younger than Hermione.

The women, and girls, had told her everything of course. He tried desperately not to listen. _Animals_ , he thought.

She had gleaned from the harem of victims that they favoured the _Imperius curse_ to control their prey. Hermione had smiled when she heard this. _Strange reaction_ , he thought.

She sat against the cold stone wall with a steely resolve in her eye, if ever there was a look of a woman with a plan, it was her. He felt hopeful that she might escape this un-violated.

The memory shuffled again as time and perception altered. She was still weak, but had stopped bleeding.

The men eventually came for her, as she probably calculated. _Fresh meat_ , he thought bitterly. _After all, she was a particularly beautiful witch..._

After throwing her around a bit for show, they cast the first _unforgivable_ against her. To his horror, she immediately became compliant. The men pawed at her greedily. It was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen, he thought, as they groped at her breasts and behind.

Since they told her she would like it, she smiled serenely at the violation. She moaned. _There goes that weak stomach again._

Draco almost lost focus for a moment but was glad he didn't when he witnessed her make her move.

Before the men knew what was going on she had used her knee to hit one in the groan, disarmed him and turned the stolen wand on the other.

Not only had she used muggle self-defense, which they were likely unfamiliar with, they had thought she was in the clutches of the curse, unable to defy them. No will power of her own.

She was throwing hexes before they had time to retaliate. Nasty nasty hexes. _All that reading in the restricted section really paid off_ , he thought.

The other women in the filthy basement cried out with glee. In the midst of hurling curses she cast spells to release the women from their chains, some immediately started running, others stayed to hit and beat the now helpless rapists.

Their righteous anger hung in the air as the circus like show of violence continued, Hermione the ring leader.

* * *

She had laid a honey trap. That's why he saw her smirk earlier when she heard their modus operandi. _Smart little witch._

He had heard that people could resist the _Imperius curse_ if they had exceptional strength and will power. In addition, it took a great deal of practice. Clearly the Princess had done some training. He smiled at her incredible skill and resolve. He had since come to wonder who she trusted enough to practice with.

When the men began to break down under the torture, physical and magical, she dealt the final blow. Casting the unforgivable and giving them their instructions for their arrival at the Manor.

Her eyes were glowing with delight as she handed them the jagged daggers, noting the look of horror in their eyes.

It was positively delicious to watch.

The rage he had initially felt at her alleged hypocrisy had long since dissipated when he realized the level of depravity that had been allowed to continue at the hands of the men who wound up dead on the doorstep of his family home.

She wasn't a hypocrite. She was a hero as she always was. She had just used more violent means than anyone had come to associate with her. It was a war after all.

He felt a bitter twist in his stomach when he thought about how he judged her the night he took her home. The things he had said. How quickly she got the hell out of there. Running from him.

Despite it all she was off being a hero again and who knew if she would escape this time? How many lives could the girl possibly have left?

Would he ever get to give her a proper apology?


	11. SM Part 11: She Returns

**Disclaimer:** Rated M as usual. Not my characters as usual.

* * *

 **Part Eleven: She Returns**

* * *

Hermione Granger, 'Brightest Witch of her Age,' victor of yet another war, arrived at his Apartment at approximately seven pm the night after it happened.

The Minister was still being tight lipped about much of the mission but he had told Malfoy that the reason the hostile group wound up sealed inside of the Ministry with the Trio was that there was something in the lower vault they needed.

It was "the final piece of a dark puzzle," he had said. From what he gleaned, they were pushing a similar agenda to that of Voldemort before he fell.

She had of course, almost gotten herself killed. A hero as usual, she had blasted Potter out of there to save his life and stayed to tend to a wounded Weasley – knowing full well the place was about to blow.

The hostiles had basically given her the idea, she had told the Minister.

They had developed dark magic to cause injuries resistant to magical healing. All three of the Trio were injured terribly. Broken bones, blood loss and inevitable scarring was written all over their bodies. They were unlikely to hold them off through dueling much longer.

The Trio had managed to cull the numbers in there but given their injuries it became apparent to Granger at least that they were fighting themselves into a corner so she decided to use her brilliant brain instead.

Causing injuries that needed muggle healing led her to consider using a muggle strategy to inflict maximum damage, all without lifting a wand.

In a bold move (typical of Granger, he thought) she had blown up the entire Ministry with every last one of the hostile group in it – and almost her and Weasley in the process.

It was now Draco's job to babysit her broken body during the healing process which would be long and drawn out given the lack of magical remedy.

Potter was staying with the Minister, Weasel was back at the hole or whatever it was called with all 10,000 of his family members, and Hermione was with Draco, given her muggle parents were not exactly in the loop about what she had been up to.

All of this was being kept out of the press so the Golden Trio had to be kept well and truly out of sight, and separate.

Plus, no one would ever think to come looking for her in the home of a Malfoy.

* * *

He sighed deeply when he thought about having her in his home for the next few weeks. Relying on him. Needing him.

It was going to be awkward.

He had behaved like an asshole, and she probably hated him by now. He knew too much about her and her life. Then, of course, there was his father and his strange relationship with the girl.

Draco silently cursed himself for taking her memories that night – for the destruction his actions with Zabini had caused, and for the feelings it had stirred within him.

He was past denying the fact that he was attracted to her. She was a force of nature, beautiful, lethal and complicated. As cunning and ruthless as a Slytherin when circumstance called for it and as brave and goodhearted as the best of her own house. A lioness, he thought to himself as he lowered her onto the spare bed.

Even black and blue she looked beautiful. Even weak she looked powerful.

He felt a pang in his heart when he thought about her almost giving her life for Weasley, the man she probably loved. Another pang when he thought about her flirtation with his father.

 _Every man but him._ He tried not to be better. He wasn't entitled to her.

Draco pulled the covers to her chin as she moved in and out of consciousness. But as he turned to leave the room he heard her call his name softly.

He immediately shot like an arrow to her side.

"Thank you for having me here," she mumbled, touching him lightly on the hand and causing a festival of butterflies to explode in his stomach.

With that, she drifted back into a dead sleep.


	12. SM Part 12: Take Care

**Original Note:** The new few chapters will focus on building more of a bond/rapport between our Heroine and our favourite moody young blonde. Please continue with your reviews as I find them most helpful and encouraging.

 **Disclaimer:** Potterverse is still not mine! Rated M.

* * *

 **Part Twelve: Take Care**

* * *

Lucius Malfoy stood over Hermione regarding her form for a few moments before reaching down to gently touch her shoulder. She awake slowly at his touch.

"Lucius," she said softly, "have you come to finally kill me off then?" she asked, a slight smile on her bruised lips.

"I see your personality has been untouched by this traumatic event my dear," said the older Malfoy with a chuckle.

Draco observed his father through narrowed eyes. Rarely, if ever, did he hear his father laugh. He burned with jealousy.

Hermione, who Draco knew was without inhibitions due to her strong muggle medications (of which he was now in charge, a responsibility that stressed him) was smiling to herself, eyes closed. He noticed a small amount of dried blood above her eyebrow. He'd have to deal with that later.

"Well you know me Lucius, I always win. They're all dead and yet here I am, alive in all of my shameful mudblooded glory," she said sleepily, keeping her eyes shut.

Muggle potions, decided Draco, were rather scary.

"Yes, I heard about your impressive effort Hermione. Every one of them, dead. The Minister had a hard time removing the bodies of 30 dark wizards and witchs from the Ministry basement without attracting attention," he said in an amused tone.

Dracos eyes widened. _30?_ No one had told him the extent of what happened. They were more concerned with preparing him to care for Hermione using muggle techniques. They were unwilling to get outside help and so all of her care rested on his shoulders. _Sweet Merlin, 30? Hermione and her idiot friends should have been slaughtered with numbers like that, the woman truly had 9 lives._

"The best part was I didn't even have to use magic for most of them," she said, shuffling carefully and wincing in pain.

Draco caught the compassionate look in his father's eyes as he observed the young witch's pain. He was well versed in searching for meaning in his father's expressions, given emotion was something Lucius Malfoy had never given freely, not even to his only son. Looking for the slightest hint of love or compassion had been standard during his upbringing, and today he saw that his father felt compassion for the broken witch lying on his sofa.

Hermione raised her head to address his father again. "Using a muggle strategy against them… they never saw it coming," her tone was exhausted but she was smirking, a slight glimmer in her eye.

Lucius looked at her warmy. "Well darling, dark wizards and blood purists tend to overlook the merits of muggles and their techniques," he said, raising an eyebrow. "I would know of course," he finished, a warm grin on his face. Granger laughed softly, causing her to cough due to her damaged ribs.

His father became serious again. "How do you feel about what happened, honestly?" he asked. Draco was shocked to hear his father ask such a thing, seemingly willing to engage in open conversation about feelings and emotions. He was livid.

First, he had to suffer the indignity of being jealous of his father, who clearly held the attention and attraction of the beautiful Gryffindor – but now he had to contend with his new found jealousy of Granger herself for getting the warmth and affection from his father that he never got, but always so desperately craved.

"I wonder if I will have to spend my whole life fighting over my blood. Being tortured. Torturing. This vicious cycle. When I was younger I was idealistic enough to think it would end with Voldemort...could end with Voldemort – but there will always be evil in the world," she said. His father flinched at the free use of Voldemort's name.

"I fear, I will have to fight until my dying breath and even that may be a curse," she said, her voice breathy and full of emotion.

"There were many casualties, are you experiencing any guilt or remorse," asked his father curiously.

"No," she replied flatly. "It was us or it was them – and if it was us there would have been more casualties to follow. I feel no guilt. I am remorseful I didn't get to spend some time with their bastard leader, just me him and my wand.." she trailed off, but she didn't catch herself before her tone betrayed her. Full of rage and vitriol. Every so often the mask fell from the pretty, virtuous Gryffindor to reveal a much more dangerous side to her. A side both Malfoy's clearly felt to be compelling. Draco knew damn well his father found her attractive for the same reasons.

Both Malfoy's smirked at her confession. Malfoy's were to always seek revenge and always have the last laugh. A family value both men held dear. They respected the similarity in Hermione.

"It's a shame you weren't sorted to Slytherin Hermione, that ambition, cunning and ruthlessness would have fit so well," his father said thoughtfully.

"If I wasn't hexed to death for being a mudblood," she countered.

"True enough I suppose," conceded his father. "Perhaps one day you will have a daughter with a similar spirit, and she, living in better times, will be welcomed into Slytherin to achieve her full potential there," he mused. Hermione laughed softly, "I never would have thought you to be an optimist Lucius," she said, eyes fluttering. He smiled again.

It was clear that his father had truly come to care for the girl.

"I will be leaving you to rest now my dear Hermione, do call for me if you need anything, although I am confident my son will have you well taken care of. If he gives you any trouble - let me know," he finished with a stern look in Draco's direction.

"I'll be sure to let you know or blow him up or something," she mumbled, struggling to stay awake.

"Draco, make sure you clean that blood from her face - you should be taking better care of her," he scolded.

The older Malfoy then leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead then rose abruptly, nodded to his son and apparated away.

Draco found himself alone once more, with a sleeping Hermione Granger in his care.


	13. SM Part 13: Tenderness

**Original Notes:** Finally! I felt the moment was right to have Draco and Hermione to confront some of that tension. Hope you like. Reviews appreciated. Tell me what you want to see happen! Ps. sorry for the jumbled spelling. I use Australian-English but have lived in North America for a while now and have found I am mixing the two up rather than using one or the other, creating rather a disgusting hybrid. Sorry is all I can say on that.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the Harry Potter Franchise or profit from my little story. M for very adult content.

* * *

 **Part Thirteen: Tenderness**

* * *

Draco was not prepared for the intimacy that came with caring in the muggle way. As her injuries were resistant to magic he had needed to learn about muggle medications and wound dressings rather quickly.

In truth, he had been awake all night reading about how to keep her wounds clean, how best to promote natural healing without magic, and also how to best manage her muggle medications. He found himself having more respect for muggles as their medicine was very complicated and they had to work much harder to be healthy than wizards. He had found himself idly wondering what Hermione's life had been like growing up when she hurt herself and had no magic to help her heal.

By morning he had felt prepared to dress her wounds but of course his father came before he got the chance to. Naturally, he had made a comment about the dried blood above her brow which Draco had yet to fix as he did not wish to interrupt her sleep, knowing that rest was a main factor in her recovery.

Draco could never win with the man. Or with Granger. _Hell, Draco Malfoy just couldn't win these days._

He sighed to himself as he prepared a bucket of warm water, face cloths and towels. Draco knew that this was going to bring them closer, he just hoped she trusted him enough to let him do this for her and not resent him for it.

Draco gently took a knee by the sofa and ran his hands through her hair to try and wake her up. She nuzzled into his hand in her sleep, which he thought was rather lovely, a feeling he quickly buried – he had a task to do after all. "Wake up Hermione," he said gently. Eventually after a series of wake up calls and patting her hair she returned to consciousness.

"I have to clean and dress your wounds now," he said evenly, wanting to convey an air of authority and confidence.

"Are you able to do it the muggle way?" she asked.

"Yes I have been reading about it and I am sure I can do it," he said confidently.

"That was very kind of you," she replied, "that is to say, it was thoughtful of you to spend time reading at short notice to make sure that you could care for me well."

"Well, it is my job after all. The Ministry made it clear that I am responsible for healing you," he said coolly. His heart sank. _Of course he fell back on defensiveness._ She had been giving him a compliment about his character and he had written it off. _Why do you always do this?_ He asked himself.

"I don't quite believe that Malfoy," she said knowingly.

Something about the way she looked at him made him feel deeply uncomfortable, like she could see right through him and knew exactly why he did what he just did.

"Okay, well… getting back to the task at hand. This is going to be a little uh... awkward… due to the nature of your wounds. I am going to have to…ah…" Malfoy stuttered. "Undress me," said Hermione, finishing his sentence. He stared at her, stunned at her bluntness. "You have to undress me to clean me and change all of the dressings," she finished evenly.

He cleared his throat, regaining his composure and taking charge of the hopelessly awkward situation he was now in.

"I thought today, I could just clean you with the wash cloths and change your dressings. Tomorrow, when you have had a little more rest, we can try a shower… does that sound okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I am agreeable to this. I am very tired Draco," she said quietly, as though it were a secret between them.

"Okay, I don't want you to exert yourself. Please, let me use magic to move you around do this. You don't have to move at all, if you'll trust me to do this?" he asked expectantly.

"I will trust you to do this," she said calmly, giving him her explicit consent to strip her naked and perform the intimate act of cleaning her body while she was wandless, weak and without any strength.

He was humbled by the fact that she seemed to genuinely trust him with this. He knew he didn't deserve her trust and yet somehow the Gods had shone on him and she was giving it to him anyway. He vowed to make sure he was worthy of it this time.

He used his magic to conjure a set of soft pillows on the floor by the warm water and towels and then turned his attention back to Hermione.

"Okay, I am going to remove your clothes now..." he said, still unsure of himself. He felt perverse to be doing this but he knew he had to, lest she get infections in her wounds.

She nodded slowly. Her expression was calm but her eyes were wide. He used his wand to remove the clothes until she was wearing nothing but a set of lace panties. He did his best not to look at her form but he had to admit, he did linger on the lace for a moment. They were Slytherin Green and very intricate. A strange choice to have warn to go into battle with evil…

"I figured I would probably die down there. No one wants the last person to see their body to think – wow, bad taste in undergarments…" she rambled nervously, as if to answer the question he never verbalized.

"Sound logic Granger," said Draco, "although you may have given the coroner a heart attack in those," he finished gently.

"Pervert," she said with no bite.

"Prude," he replied, with no malice.

* * *

After he levitated her face down to the soft pillow space he made on the floor he began to remove the dressings covering her back and thighs. This was the first chance he had to assess the damage on her body.

Her back was far worse than the front, presumably as Granger was quick in a duel and to defend any nasty hexes. Clearly they did their damage mostly as she was retreating. There were deep jagged cuts all over her back and thighs. Some of the more shallow cuts were left open and some had been stitched haphazardly. He knew they were the deeper ones and the stitching was a muggle way of fixing skin. He felt sick.

"It's very bad isn't it Malfoy?" she asked timidly. "No no, not too bad," he lied.

"Don't lie to me Malfoy, I don't like it," she replied coldly.

"Okay, it's a fucking blood bath back here and you're going to have scars for the rest of your life, happy?" he snapped.

"Ever so happy," she responded. _Girl drove him mad._

Slowly he used the wet towels to dab away the blood around the wounds on her back and thighs. He also took the time to get some clean water and towels to gently drag along the rest of her body in place of a shower.

She sighed as he tenderly ran the warm wet material down to the back of her knee, her calves (still sore from the running) and to the arches of her small feet. "Is this okay?" he asked, unsure of himself. "Yes, don't stop," she said gingerly.

Encouraged by her enjoyment of his caring movements, he repeated the procedure on the other leg. He heated the towels a little more and moved to her upper body, gently moving her hair away from the nape of her neck so he could drag the cloth freely from shoulder to shoulder. She let out an appreciative moan. "That feels so… nice," she whispered breathily.

"Well I certainly can't have you dirtying up my sofa now can I?" he joked lightheartedly. "How lucky for me," she retorted playfully.

Her small voice still sounded exhausted but she seemed livelier than before. They were silent as he ran both of his hands upwards from her lower hips, over her womanly curves to the top of her waist, the warm liquid of the drenched towel trickling down her sides. _Merlin, do not get aroused by this Malfoy, the girl is still bleeding._

He noticed goosebumps on her arms as he straddled her from behind (careful to place no weight on her body), encircled her wrists with the warm damp towels and drew them up each arm at the same time, his big hands able to wrap around them with ease. He was acutely aware of how close she was to him and the intimacy of the position.

When he was done cleaning all of the flesh he could reach from this angle he reached for the bottle of antiseptic. He had been told that it would sting her so he warned her before he began dabbing it onto all of the wounds. There must have been 20 or so on her back as well as a number of more superficial injuries like scrapes and light cuts.

She winced below him as he made sure to get plenty of the liquid into the wounds to avoid infection, just as he had read in the muggle books. "I'm sorry," he soothed. "I know," she replied simply. He then applied the dressings to finish the job.

* * *

When he was done with her back he use his wand to levitate her and flip her over. He was very aware of the fact she now lay directly below him, exposed completely aside from the small bit of lace protecting the junction between her legs. He did his best to maintain eye contact so she would not think he was taking advantage and leering at her. _Merlin it was hard not to leer._

He got one of the warm towels and placed it gently over her breasts to give her some more modesty. She seemed to relax after he did this so he figured he made the right decision in doing so, even though it pained him, as from what he saw they looked beautiful spread out as she lay.

Her injuries on her front were not as pronounced as the back but the bruising around her ribs were substantial. Some of them were broken but he could do little about this without magical healing potions to speed up the process. All they could do was wait.

None the less, there were still a number of abrasions so he set to work on cleaning and disinfecting them too, making sure to use gauze to cover them up. He then set himself to cleaning her as he had done behind her earlier.

Cleaning her back had been an intimate act, but looking her in the eyes as he ran hot wet towels along her collarbone and along the top of her breasts was considerably more so. Still, they each said nothing. She put up no protest. If anything, he felt her leaning slightly into him. He tried to keep his breathing steady.

He ran the towels along the lengths of her arms and into the palms of her hands which he caressed slightly before dragging them back to her centre. He noticed her chest was rising and falling at a much quicker pace that it had been earlier. _Was she really enjoying this?_ He hoped so, because he was.

He looked into her deep brown eyes as he picked up another hot wet towel and placed it over her stomach, letting it warm her a moment before he pulled it down towards her thighs. She whimpered.

He was too enamored by the whole experience to even flash a trademark Malfoy smirk. He just looked up at her and stared as he rubbed the towel along her inner thighs, careful not to overstep his boundaries or make her uncomfortable. He wasn't going to push his luck. Getting to touch her like this was enough for him.

He felt like the temperature in the room had gone up and he pulled at his collar uncomfortably. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. Startled, he asked her "what for?"

"Causing you to have to do this, it must be uncomfortable, having to do everything for me and serve me like this…" she said, unsure of herself, which was unusual for a woman like her. As if trying to inject some humour into the conversation she added, "Malfoy's don't serve people of course."

He smiled, hovering directly above her face now. He took a warm towel and gently brushed the dried blood from her forehead, staring down at her with his unyielding grey eyes.

"We make concessions for exceptional women Granger," he said quietly, as he took the final towel from the bucket and ran it over her jaw delicately, finishing on her lips.


	14. SM Part 14: A Brief History

**Original Notes:** Thank-you for your reviews. I have noticed a few of you are really liking the Lucius stuff so I decided to explore that relationship some more here. Thanks for your input and enthusiasm!

 **Disclaimer:** A reminder that this is Rated M for adult content and language. I don't own the characters or profit from this story.

* * *

 **Part Fourteen: A Brief History**

* * *

As she lie in her bed that night, her mind was spinning. What happened between her and Draco had been so… intimate. She never knew he had it in him to be so tender, and yet he did it with an intensity that just about set her on fire. It was a rare trait in a man, she thought, to be both powerful and domineering but tender at the same time.

Gentleness was so often a trait lost in dominance. Yet somehow, he was both. Despite the pain she was in, it was one of the most truly and deeply sensuous moments of her life, and it had been given to her by the most selfish git she knew.

She shuddered as she recalled the feeling of his hands dragging the dripping wet hot towels along her curves at a painstakingly slow pace, the way he met her eyes and did not look away. Closing her eyes all she could see where his grey eyes, penetrating her to the core. What they had done was more intimate than anything else she had experienced, including the act of lovemaking itself.

 _Merlin_ , she exhaled quietly to herself. First she was attracted to his father, and now him. What was wrong with her? Did she have a fetish for dark wizards? _And blondes…_ She thought darkly. It was sick.

Hermione let her mind wander back to the moment things changed with Lucius.

She had been working on a particularly nasty case for the Ministry and was frustrated with how things were going. They were up against not only dark magic, but old magic too. Doing things the right away and relying only on light magic…the variety the Ministry approved of was getting her nowhere.

She was frustrated. Plus, it wasn't like the Ministry ever approved of much she Harry and Ron had got up to leading up to the final confrontation with Voldemort – and that was the right thing to do. It had dawned on her then that perhaps she needed to look outside of conventional areas to solve her problem.

The idea struck her when she had seen the older Malfoy at the Ministry event. Their strange interaction putting into action a bizarre turn of events she would have never predicted for herself. Turning someone who once despised her very existence and attempted to take her life into an ally and at times, a friend.

* * *

Hermione had grown into a beautiful and formidable woman after the war. She knew she was desirable to men for a number of reasons. Physically she was quite attractive, perhaps not as classically so as other witches, but none the less, she was a striking woman and she knew it.

Secondly, she was influential. Her power attracted people on its own.

Third, men were attracted to her intelligence and standoffishness. Basically she was attractive, famous, smart and unattainable. She represented the ultimate challenge and because of this she had no shortage of suitors.

Despite this, the reaction Lucius had to her had been quite unexpected. She did not expect this man to flirt with her. To recognize her in such a way.

Nothing had prepared her for the small jolt of electricity she felt shoot up her spine when he kissed her on the cheek. A moment clearly meant to intimidate or provoke having the opposite effect, arousing her instead.

When she baited Lucius before the Minister was when the game had really begun. That was when she felt the cosmic shift in the way he saw her.

He had since made it clear that he respected her on a number of levels, he already did before that night – but she knew it was that moment when he decided to engage with her as an equal.

Her suggestiveness about their _crucio_ encounter had piqued his interest and it was obvious in his change of demeanor. He want from false and vaguely threatening to being genuine… and still somewhat threatening, which truthfully only excited her more.

That was the thing about the Malfoy men. They were dangerous always, whether their intentions were good or not. It made for quite the head fuck. Her involvement with them made her question her sanity.

* * *

Anyway, she knew she was going on a tangent and drew her mind back to the matter at hand. Her relationship with the father of the man who just about made her explode with only a wet towel and an unyielding glare.

She sent him an owl after the ball requesting he meet with her in her office the next day. She wasn't sure if he would come or tell her to sod off, but he arrived on time – looking immaculate and disinterested as always.

"Hermione, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked coolly, seating himself in the plush leather chair in front of her desk.

She set a silencing charm around the room and regarded him through narrowed eyes for a moment. "Why have you not told anyone about my actions in the war?" she asked, deciding to take the direct approach.

He said nothing, so she continued, "You see, I think it's because you are planning to use it as leverage at a later time, correct?" she asked bluntly.

"How very clever of you dear, I guess that's why they call you the brightest witch of the age," he said dryly.

She smirked before continuing her pitch.

"You see, I would like to suggest we enter into a mutually beneficial arrangement. One in which I direct the Ministry away from any further investigations into your actions and the actions of the Malfoy family as Death Eaters and support you in your legitimate endeavors wherever I can, do you follow?"

"And what pray tell, will you expect in return Ms. Granger?" asked Lucius with a raised eyebrow.

"I would ask that you keep my use of _unforgivable curses_ during the war private as well as the darker elements of my personality that I know you have encountered first hand. I would also ask that you assist me where needed to increase my knowledge and skill in the practice of dark magic, particularly of the older variety" she said matter-of-factly.

His indifferent exterior faltered for a moment and his jaw dropped slightly at her request for assistance in the practice of dark magic. Regaining his composure he asked her the most obvious question. "Why do you wish to learn and practice dark magic?"

"I have found myself meeting a number of road blocks here at the Ministry through operating using only approved and modern magic. I learnt during the war that sometimes one needs to break rules for the greater good. I feel that this is the case here. I know that Malfoy Manor has an extensive library that contains many books that are no longer in publication and have been banned and burnt over the years at the behest of the Ministry of Magic. I need access to those materials. I also need access to someone who is well practiced with dark magic and objects. Why not you?" she illuminated.

"So, you are proposing we align ourselves for our mutual benefit?" said Lucius.

"Put simply, yes," said Hermione, "I believe that, given our shared history and in our current positions in the wizarding world, we could assist each other in reaching our goals," she continued.

"And what of our… differences of opinion on certain matters relating to blood purity?" ventured Lucius.

"I don't have to like you to do business with you Lucius. I think I have proven to you that I am a formidable enemy when pushed. I can be just as fierce an ally. What do you say?" she asked defiantly.

"It seems, I am forever underestimating you Hermione," he said through a smile.

There were a few moments of silence before he continued. "If you will come to the Manor on Saturday at 10 am. I do believe I have some material in my personal library you may find of interest."

Both parties sensed their conversation was coming to a close and rose from their seats. Hermione walked towards the door to usher Lucius from the office, moving to shake his hand as he left to signify their shared agreement.

Gripping her hand tightly he pulled her into him. He was forceful but not rough. Somewhere inside she knew he had no intention of harming her.

She felt his breath at her ear and his skin against her cheek as he whispered in her ear. "I would have so enjoyed corrupting the purity of your magic myself, but alas, the two men you murdered and delivered to me indicate you did a fine job of that alone. Even _The Dark Lord_ was impressed by you. I dare say, regardless of your blood status there may have been a place for you in our ranks. Given the artfulness of your cruelty. Does anyone else know what a wicked witch you are _lioness_?" he hissed.

She felt her entire body shudder but she stood tall, refusing to shrink from him.

"If the war against your former _master_ taught me anything, it is that there is no black and white, only shades of grey. The things I do, I do for the right reasons. As for my wickedness, it takes one to know one Mr. Malfoy," she said coldly, removing her arm from his grip.

"I'll look forward to our next meeting," she said in a calm but strong tone.

"So will I," he replied, eyes gleaming, before turning abruptly to leave.

* * *

Drifting away from reminiscing about the beginning of her odd connection with Lucius, she was drawn back to the image of Draco between her legs with that hot wash cloth. His frustrating distance and chivalrousness. His unyielding stare. _That fucking unreadable expression._

Was her sudden interest in the younger Malfoy about Lucius? Some kind of latent response to a dormant attraction to the older Malfoy? Or was it just the allure of a young, genetically handsome, powerful and dangerous Draco?

She almost hoped that the attraction she had to Draco came from her odd connection to Lucius, given her own troubled history with the younger Malfoy. Perhaps it would have made more sense if it was all about his father.

 _No_ , she was attracted to Draco Malfoy all on her own. That wash cloth and the image of blood mixed with water was probably going to haunt her for the rest of her days.

Her frustrated mind was slowing now. Dragging her further into a deep, drug induced sleep, finally giving her some peace from her flustered thoughts of the young Malfoy heir.


	15. SM Part 15: The Shower

**Original Notes:** A quick update for you guys - further development of the chemistry between the younger Malfoy and our Heroine.

Quick thanks to those who have reviewed, especially to: Alesia G, elizabethrose1974, missmusician14 and filisare for your regular and encouraging reviews. You really encourage me to keep going with this story.

Thanks also to LightofEvolution for your detailed review.

Especially thanks to missmusician14 for pointing out that Draco's background and development had been neglected a little so hopefully the beginning of this chapter helps to explain where his character is coming from some more.

MahallieMacKenzie: In answer to your Q. - I did mention in an earlier chapter that they developed spells that could not be healed by magic in order to use against enemies (if they cant heal quickly, they become weaker more quickly - pretty big disadvantage when you're used to magical healing) - but you are correct that it was mostly done to help push DM and HG together - My Hermione is pretty much too powerful to need him any other way.

 **Disclaimer:** M for mature audiences. I don't own HP or make money from this fic.

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen: The Shower**

* * *

Draco tossed and turned uncomfortably in his bed that morning. Worshiping Hermione's body with that wash cloth had been the most intimate experience of his life. Intimacy was not something he was good at or experienced often and he felt rattled by it.

He had a cold, prickly personality and it did not lend itself well to fostering intimacy with anyone.

That is just how Malfoy men were. Or so he had thought until it became apparent that not only could his father overcome his blood prejudice to speak to Hermione, it looked like they had formed a close friendship also.

Perhaps it was just Draco who was cold, prickly and barely capable of intimacy then? Or he was, until he shared that moment with her on his living room floor.

 _What was it with Granger and Malfoy men?_ It's not like he didn't know the answer to that. She was beautiful, exceptional and powerful – she was the best kind of woman and Malfoy's were always drawn to the best things. Achieving that level of intimacy with a woman of her caliber was a revelation for Draco. Being trusted by someone like that was a gift. Being kind felt...good.

The Malfoy household was always about boundaries, keeping up appearances and appeasing the family. His father's love and affection was directly linked to how proud he could be – so basically, Malfoy had to do everything his father wanted to feel accepted or loved at all.

It left him bitter, angry and emotionally closed off.

The whole reason he even got involved with Voldemort was because of his family and their ridiculous blood prejudice.

As a child he went along with it not knowing better, but as time went on he was smart enough to work out that it was a load of crap. By that time though, he was already buried too deep in it to get away. His father basically gave him to the Dark Lord like a lamb to the slaughter – something he never really forgave him for.

It was a good lesson for Draco, and after the final battle he vowed never to be pushed by his father and family to do something he didn't want to again. After all, they really didn't know best for him. They almost cost him his life and his freedom by aligning him with The Dark Lord.

The time came to face the music when they started to arrange a marriage for him to Pansy Parkinson. He shuddered at the thought of being married to such a vapid little witch. He knew they might cut him off if he said no, but when he thought back to the atrocities of the war – some of which he and the Malfoy's were directly responsible for - his resolve was strengthened. He was never going to blindly follow the will of his family against his own values again.

Funnily enough, when he got the courage to confront his father about it, the image he conjured was that of Granger being tortured on the floor of Malfoy Manor. How could he ever be a slave to the will of the family that did that again? It gave him the strength to press on in telling his father to shove it.

To his great surprise, his father almost looked proud when he told him he was no longer the family puppet – only son or not. He would be marrying for love (if at all) and he didn't give a flying fuck if it was to a muggle-born, a pureblood or anything in between.

Looking back, he wasn't sure if his father had already started his friendship with Granger at that time and perhaps that's why he took it so well and didn't beat him senseless before writing him out of the family fortune.

Just how long had this woman influenced his life? His job at the Ministry, his families acceptance that he would be the first Malfoy in hundreds of years not to go through an arranged marriage and even to possibly marry someone who was not a pureblood.

Her fingerprints were all over his life, but her allegiance was to his father not him – why did she do so much for him?

His mind drew back to his hands tracing the lines of her body with the hot towel. _Merlin, she looked good_. It was so wrong, given her injuries, to have been as turned on as he was. Then again, he was Draco Malfoy – he wasn't a very good person, so fuck it, he could admit to himself at least that it was a turn on.

He didn't usually care to much about women's feelings or wants, but the sensation over her pressing into him, meeting his hands, made his fingers burn with the memory. He knew she liked it. Why she liked it was beyond him, perhaps she was as sick as he was.

All he knew was that now he had touched her, he couldn't wait to do it again and again. He longed for the sun to rise so he could give her the shower he promised. The idea of her clinging to him to stay upright under the hot water did wicked things to his body.

He wanted so badly to be needed by her.

* * *

Draco took his time that morning so as not to seem too eager, before waking her up and suggesting it was time to bathe her.

She nodded nervously, making him want to hold on to her and never let her go. Instead he made some snide remark about needing to use words rather than pathetic nodding and gave her one of his cold stares. His desire for her making him want to push her as far away as possible.

She seemed to be feeling stronger today and was able sit herself up, but he offered her his hand to pull her off the bed anyway. She looked at it stubbornly so he felt the need to justify the action. "It's best you don't exert yourself too much yet Granger," he said coolly. She huffed but took his hand so he could pull her up. Seemed as though she was feeling more like herself today - bloody difficult.

She walked to the bathroom slowly but without his help, though he was right behind her to be sure to catch her should she fall. They had warned him that she had lost a lot of blood in the battle and suffered much physical trauma, it was likely her exhaustion would go on for some days.

When they reached the bathroom she leaned against the vanity and looked at him for further instruction. Clearly, she expected he would take charge of the situation as he had the day before.

When he didn't do anything she started to try to take her night dress off but it was such an infuriatingly slow process he grabbed his wand and removed it with magic, leaving her standing before him once again in nothing but her panties. She looked less uncomfortable than she had the day before.

She regarded him for a moment before looking down at herself and saying "if I am to have a proper shower, you'll need to take those off too, I imagine you know the spell…" matter-of-factly. He did not need to be asked twice and with a flick of his wand they were gone too.

He stood for a moment, just looking at her. She really was so lovely. Slim but curvy in all of the right places, everything in proportion. "Are you going to just stand there or are you going to help me take a shower Malfoy?" she snapped.

He would have been annoyed, but then again, he was being a creep, and he was making an injured woman hold herself up longer than she should have to, so he let it go and stepped forward to usher her into his large stone shower.

"You know this shower is as large as some people's apartments Malfoy," she observed.

"How would you have me respond to that Granger?" he answered. She simply snorted and thumbed the various shampoos on the ledge.

She did not seem overly self-conscious to be naked in his presence. Not that she had anything to be self-conscious about, the woman was a goddess.

"Granger, ah, I don't particularly want to get all of my clothes wet… I'm not suggesting I get naked but if you don't mind I would like to…" he started before she cut him off. "You would like to remove some layers. Given the state of my undress I hardly think it could be any more awkward than it already is, so by all means remove your clothes Malfoy," she said dismissively.

He quickly removed his shirt and pants but left his underwear on. He really did not feel like being that exposed in front of her. He kind of liked the fact that he had most of the power in this situation and was not in a hurry to hand any over to her. She ran her eyes over his body appreciatively, doing nothing to hide her approval.

"Why don't you take a picture Granger, it would last longer," he said casually as he walked towards her. She didn't bother to respond, she just waited for him to make his next move.

* * *

Hermione became acutely aware of their height difference as he towered over her. She was tired and would have liked to lean on him for support, but was already embarrassed enough that her childhood bully had to give her a shower without also having to ask him hold her up - so she used all of her will power to remain upright.

His body was sculpted from years of Quidditch and his pale skin was without so much as a blemish.

She wasn't surprised. The Malfoy men were always attractive, Adonis like figures. She had observed as much in the portraits at the Manor. Even at his age, Lucius was still a very attractive man. She wondered in Draco would age like that.

Hermione was lost in her own thoughts when he put the water on, letting warm water consume them both. She still had the coverings over her worst wounds, so the water did not irritate her and it felt heavenly to feel it wash over her after several days without a real shower.

She noticed he was observing her so decided to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"Take a picture Malfoy, it'll last longer," she said coolly, raising her eyebrow. He exhaled so loudly in frustration that he heard it over the noise of the shower. "Is the temperature okay for you Granger?" he asked.

"A little hotter would be good, if that is okay with you," she responded. He used the tap to increase the heat a little. "mmmm that's nice," she heard herself say, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of being warm and clean.

He moved to position himself directly behind her, her back flush against his firm chest. She felt her breath catch in her throat in anticipation of his touch – which had never been far from her mind since the day before.

Slowly he began to rub shampoo through her long dark hair. He was unhurried and deliberate as he massaged her entire scalp and left no strand of hair untouched by the soapy lather of it. When he was done, he guided her gently backwards to the water and let her wash it out before guiding her forward again to repeat the process with the conditioner.

He then reached for the body wash from the ledge. When he opened it, the scent of wild strawberries engulfed the wet room.

"Can you do this yourself?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Do you want to?" he responded cautiously.

"No," she said softly, not daring to turn to look at his face. She thought she must have lost her mind. _Did I just ask Draco Malfoy to rub body wash all over my naked body?_ She wondered, horrified. Any moment he would probably laugh in her face.

* * *

The seconds that passed seemed like forever.

He did not move behind her - not away from her and not to her. She was about ready to tell him to get out so she could die with embarrassment when she felt his hands on her lower back.

Slowly he drew circles on the arch of her back, letting the body wash foam up. He was delicate, making sure to avoid her dressings and any of the uncovered wounds. She then felt his hands move forward to cup her hips.

He stopped for a moment and she felt his breath exhale on the back of her neck. His hands moved around to her stomach and began to perform torturous circles there too.

She was frozen. She had no idea what he would do next, no idea how far he would go. She did, after all, invite him to do this. _Where does one wash in the shower? Everywhere_ , she thought to herself. _Merlin, I've given him permission to touch me everywhere._

His arms encircled her and held her close as his hands started to move upwards towards her breasts. She did her best not to move, hoping her body would not betray her arousal – which she could hardly understand herself. _It's just because he's handsome. It's just because he's dangerous_. But he didn't feel dangerous, he felt caring and tender, which terrified her more.

He seemed to be stalling, taking his time in gently caressing her injured ribs and the area below her breast. Perhaps unsure of if he should keep going.

"Do it," she said quietly, so quietly she wondered if he would hear her over the rushing water.

He heard her.

Instantly she felt his large hands covering her breasts, lathering them with body wash. She couldn't help but let out a quiet moan. She felt him stiffen behind her. Hermione felt relief that she wasn't the only one enjoying this.

He had clearly been holding back because once she gave him her consent his hands were everywhere at once. Raking up and down her thighs, caressing her inner thigh, lifting and fondling her breasts – he rubbed so much body wash into her she thought she might smell like wild strawberries for the rest of her life.

Eventually, his pace slowed as he worked his way towards the junction between her thighs. She knew what he wanted to do. She wanted him to do it, but they hadn't even kissed. Did it matter?

She felt his lips touch her neck gently, working their way over to her earlobe and nibbling. She finally got the courage to turn her head, having managed to avoid eye contact for the majority of their encounter. He lifted his hand to cup her chin and hold her firm as he gently pressed his lips to her own.

The second her lips parted to invite him in, his tongue began to explore her, giving way to the most mind blowing kiss she had ever experienced. It was so raw and so powerful she thought she might fall over, not that he would have allowed it as he was holding her far too tightly for that.

She knew there and then that there was no going back from this.

As long as he kissed her, she would kiss him back. She just didn't have the strength to stop.


	16. SM Part 16: Yours, A

**Original Notes:** Thanks to everyone for your reviews - especially those of you reviewing every chapter now! Time for trouble in paradise?

 **Disclaimer:** Still rated M. Still don't own Harry Potter (or a private island)

* * *

 **Part Sixteen: Yours, A**

* * *

She awoke the next morning in the afterglow of the intimacy of the night before. For two weeks since the shower she shared his bed, and though it had not gone much further than kissing, she felt like she had been engulfed by him. From the moment their lips locked in the shower it was as though an electric current had run through her body - and it hadn't stopped.

She forgot her pain. She forgot her worry. She forgot everything. There was only him. She never would have guessed that the smarmy little brat who bullied her throughout the entirety of her education could do that to her, but Merlin, he could. _He did._

Of course, given the nature of her injuries it would have been irresponsible to get more physical. Hermione probably could have been convinced otherwise given the heat of their exchanges, but he had been insistent that he did not want to risk hurting her. He wanted to wait until she was healed. Or at least, more healed than she was. _Worst luck._

She awoke in his bed, feeling the sunshine rudely pouring light all over the room. The first thing that struck her was his absence, despite his strong scent which lingered. Rationally, she figured he was somewhere else in the apartment. She was feeling considerably stronger after a few days of rest so she casually began to look around for Draco.

When she arrived in the kitchen she noticed a piece of parchment on the counter. On closer inspection she found it was a note scrawled in green ink.

 _"Hermione,_

 _Had to attend to some business in the office. I apologise for having to leave you after last night. Yours – Draco Malfoy"_

Seemed a tad curt, but then again, he wasn't really the most warm and fuzzy creature was he? _Yours,_ she thought to herself.

She decided to get changed, feeling fed up with laying around in her pajamas feeling sorry for herself all the time.

Perhaps it was the promise of something exciting and tangible with Draco or perhaps it was simply the magic of good rest, but she felt rather rejuvenated.

After changing into a pair of jeans and a singlet top she decided to read a book while she waited for him to return. She settled for a beautiful copy of "Hogwarts – a History," which she had read cover to cover a hundred times and would happily have read a hundred more.

Sitting down by the large bay window and enjoying the sunlight, she began to read contentedly, until she was disturbed by a rather lovely looking owl by the window. Instinctively she opened it and took the mail from the creature. The envelope was not sealed, nor was there a name on its exterior.

She thought about leaving it – after all it was probably Draco's, and it was terribly rude to read someone's mail. Then again, it was a rather suspicious looking piece of correspondence and given the events of the last few months, her survival mechanism warned her that perhaps it would be prudent to establish whether or not it was a threat.

She removed a thick piece of card covered in green ink, similar to that on the card Draco left her that morning – though the handwriting was not the same.

 _"Draco, where were you last night? I thought we had agreed to meet. You know I hate having to please myself! Yours – A."_

A red lipstick smear was clearly visible on the card. She felt sick. _What did you expect?_ screamed her inner voice.

Hermione Granger was not one to let a wizard get her down.

She knew his history. She knew his reputation and yet she had been foolish enough to let him get in her knickers (literally) – she couldn't blame him for being the slimy Slytherin he was. She could however, blame herself for falling into that trap so easily.

A number of poisonous thoughts invaded her brain at once. _Probably just trying to get another notch on his bedpost_ , she thought _. Perhaps he had planned to humiliate her at a later time (certainly what his younger self would have done)._ The most hurtful thought of all was that perhaps he didn't feel anything at all. The electricity, the spark, the inexplicable connection. Did she imagine the intimacy? _She did lose rather a lot of blood._

 _Fuck this,_ she thought angrily. Hermione Granger did not pine over wizards. Particularly wizards stupid enough to think they could have their cake and eat it with her.

Wizards pined for her. Not the other way around. Her sadness was now giving way to fury.

Now livid (mostly with herself) she threw the few things she had at Draco's home into her bag, tossed the letter from "A" onto the bench, poisoned a pot plant, just to be spiteful and used the floo to go home.

Stepping out of her fireplace she uttered the words "stupid ferret" before writing the bastard off permanently.

Heading for her bedroom, all she wanted was her own bath and to crawl into bed for a few days and forget the whole bloody mess.

* * *

Draco arrived home in the early afternoon to find his apartment suspiciously quiet. When he went to this room to check on her, she was no longer there. He was disappointed. He was rather hoping to see the lovely witch curled up in his sheets.

Next he checked her room which was empty. More alarmingly, her things appeared to be gone too. Why would she run from him? Last night had been amazing, perfect even. He couldn't in all good conscience sleep with her knowing he might exacerbate her injuries but he knew she had adored his caresses as much as he had loved giving them to her. _Where the hell was she?_

Walking into his spacious kitchen he eyed the note he had left her and stopped dead when he saw another piece of parchment thrown by it. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

He had been so caught up with Granger last night he had forgotten that before everything went to hell at the Ministry… before he had to bring Granger home to care for… before he touched her so longingly with the warm towels on his floor… he had plans with a certain witch who did not like to be stood up. Instinctively, he knew what had happened before he even read the note.

 _Draco, where were you last night? I thought we had agreed to meet. You know I hate having to please myself. Yours – A."_

As if the thing wasn't already incriminating enough, she had to go and bloody sign it similarly to the way he had signed his own note for Hermione.

Hermione was probably wondering how many others had fallen for his lines now and stormed out in disgust. Well, to be fair, plenty of others had fallen for his lines. He was handsome, intelligent and ruthlessly manipulative to get his own way. The problem was, this was the one time where he was genuine about what had happened, and now it was ruined.

 _Fuck_ , he breathed, throwing Astoria's letter in the garbage.

* * *

Several glasses of fire whiskey and a long bath later Hermione was feeling much better about things. She had resolved to give the ferret no further thought. It had been fun and it had been intense. Yes it meant something to her, but it probably meant nothing to him. She was hardly about to add herself to a roster of witches over it.

There were plenty of amorous wizards wanting to win their way into her bed and/or heart. Theo Nott had been trying to take her on a date for some time now. A tall, attractive, ex-dark wizard was probably just what the doctor ordered, given she clearly had a type now.

She giggled at the thought as she walked into her living room.

"Something funny Hermione?" asked Lucius Malfoy, who was standing ominously by her window.

"Oh Lucius, Merlin you bloody gave me a heart attack!" she exclaimed, loosening her protective grip on her wand. "What are you doing here unannounced?"

"One of the hostile wizards from the altercation in the Ministry is alive," he said seriously.

"You needed to come here to tell me that?" she asked rudely, feeling sensitive and irrationally angry at him given his resemblance to his awful son. _Not to mention the whiskey._

"Yes Hermione, I feel I rather did," he said calmly. His unsettling gaze meeting hers, before taking in the sight of the swollen, bruised lovebite his son left on her otherwise flawless neck the night before.

She looked away uncomfortably. Ashamed.

He subjected her to his penetrating glare for what felt like forever before he pulled an ornate pocket watch from his robes and stroked it gently. Opening it, it revealed a map of sorts – now clearly showing Hermione in her apartment.

Hermione snorted and took another gulp of her fire whiskey. "I regret getting you that thing you know," she said, staring into her crystal tumbler. He rolled his eyes.

"So, what will you have us do regarding the dark wizard in question?" he asked, a glimmer of a smirk on his lips.

"The Ministry can handle whatever bastard made it out of there," she said icily, "no need for further action." She flopped down on her sofa, defeated.

 _Just when I thought this day was getting better_ , she thought miserably.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy's eyes softened at the sight of her. Clearly she was upset. She was behaving out of sorts, he could tell by the way she was carrying herself.

Also by the fact the she appeared to be wallowing into a glass of fire whiskey in the middle of the day, which was very unlike her.

He knew all of this because he know rather a lot about Hermione Granger.

Lucius also knew rather a lot about his only son, despite their strained relationship.

For example, he knew his son and the pretty young witch were together in the bathroom of Draco's apartment for an astounding length of time recently, and in the same bedroom every night since.

What he didn't know however, was that his son would mess things up quite so quickly.

* * *

"I figured you and Draco had an… incident," he began carefully, sitting next to her on the sofa. "But we have more pressing matters to attend to. How would you like me to proceed with the captive, Hermione?" he asked her.

Hermione's head shot around like a flash. "Captive?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with panic.

"When I heard the Ministry were sending him to St Mungos I made sure he went to a private wing which the Malfoy family sponsors…As far as the Ministry are concerned he is safe and well in the care of professionals who have nothing but his best interests at heart. That may be the case - for now. But as you know Miss Granger, _the vow_ means I need to look out for your interests… your interest on this occasion might be to handle his punishment….yourself," he ventured, in a rather tempting dark tone.

"You know I prefer to do things the legitimate way Lucius," she said softly.

"That is true, but this man and his _associates,_ " Lucius spat the word _associates_ out like a poison, "almost killed you and your friends. I also  know you like to use that dark side of yours to punish those who really deserve it. I am giving you an opportunity here.." he trailed off, "to punish someone who really deserves it."

Hermione exhaled loudly and took the rest of the fire whiskey in one gulp.

"I'll think about it," she conceded.

"How about you think about it in a private room at St Mungos," he suggested. Lucius stood and offered her his arm.

She made a quick decision to oblige him and in an instant, the pair were gone - leaving nothing but an empty apartment and a half empty bottle of fire whiskey for Draco to find twenty minutes later.


	17. SM Part 17: Mercy

**Original Notes:** Thanks to those who have reviewed. I am having so much fun writing this and hearing from you all. It really inspires me to keep going. So much so I am hiding in my room at midnight writing this as it is the only time I could get away from my visiting relatives to do it!

There are probably a few errors here and there (sorry) - I usually notice things after but I tend to only correct if it is an error that impacts understanding of the story. I don't really write to be totally perfect as this is just a hobby and for me personally it removes the fun a little to be too much of a perfectionist. So please be patient with me :)

Special thanks to: missmusician14, Phoenixempowerment, LightofEvolution, MaidenAlice, MahallieMacKenzie, filisareand elizabethrose1974 for your ongoing enthusiasm, thoughts and encouragement. Please know, I take what you say on board!

 **Disclaimer:** This story is still rated M for adult content and I still don't own the Harry Potter franchise no matter how desperately I wish I did.

* * *

 **Part Seventeen: Mercy**

* * *

There they stood. The odd couple. Lucius Malfoy, former right hand man to Voldemort and Hermione Granger, the most famous " _Mudblood_ ," possibly ever, who had shared a bed with said Death Eater's son the night before. _What a riot_ , thought Hermione dryly.

They were alone in the room with the single survivor of Hermione's Ministry ordeal.

To say the man was not in a good way would have been an understatement. Lacerations and burns covered most of his body and his face was so swollen Hermione doubted he could have seen her even if he was conscious. His chart indicated that he had been suffering internal bleeding as a result of the blast and he had broken bones throughout his crumpled body. She almost felt sorry for him. _Almost._

Lucius stood tall, looking almost regal as he surveyed the man and the tiny white room.

It was a surreal experience for Hermione as she reflected on how her life had become so strange.

What had started out as an uneasy alliance, built on secrecy and fear had somehow, inexplicably grown into a deep friendship. It went to show that her ideals as a child and young woman for a black and white world with clear lines between good and bad were foolish dreams. Everyone – even her, even Harry, had light and dark in them.

Lucius Malfoy certainly had plenty of darkness within him. She saw the bloodlust in his eyes as he stared down the broken man like a predator in the wilderness. She couldn't help but feel slight amusement that there was a time when he shared the same ideals as this man, they were basically on the same side. _How things change_ , she thought with a smirk.

Then again, Lucius Malfoy had some light in him too. He had been a good friend to her. An honest friend to her. Even when he was being a bastard, he did so with such transparency that she had to admire him for it.

Where she embraced her light and pushed back her darkness, he seemed to prefer to embrace his dark nature and repress his inner goodness. _They were quite the pair_ , thought Hermione.

She knew Draco was the same. Try as he might, Draco was very much like his father and perhaps that's why she had found it so easy to connect with him when his walls came down that night.

Then again, she herself was so damaged, perhaps he had struggled to connect with her before she was too weak to keep up her own walls.

It also helped that he was handsome, a bloody good wizard and carried himself with a grace rarely seen in a man his age.

 _Urgh, stop thinking about it_ , she scolded to herself.

* * *

They stood for several more minutes, taking in the sight of the sorry excuse for a wizard before them. Clicking his tongue, Lucius eventually broke the silence. "What would you suggest we do with him then Hermione?"

Hermione thought for a moment. There was a small part of her that wanted to drag him away and use some kind of creative combination of all of the available _unforgivable curses_ and some tasty dark hexes again on him. After all, he along with his co-conspirators had tormented her, Ron and Harry in the Ministry that night.

Just like the Death Eaters and Voldemort they would like to destroy or enslave muggle-borns and muggles. He was a bad person. An evil person. Then again, acting on these dark impulses couldn't be too good for one's character could it?

She liked to do things the right way. She liked to consider herself a good person. Sure, she had done some bad things. Some terrible things had also been perpetrated against her and those she cared about.

She had been through war. In war no one can make it out of that unscathed, or completely clean.

Did she really want to go down that path?

 _Yes_ , said the devil on her shoulder. _No_ , said her conscience. Her mind whirred as she continued to stare at the injured man intently.

Eventually she turned to address Lucius.

"I would suggest we do nothing. He is clearly in a bad enough state. However, I would not be strictly against, say, charming all of the doctors and nurses to believe that they can't use magic for these injuries, even though they could, as they were from the blast, not any of the dark magic they were using. He can agonise for months and months trying to recover. Merlin, without magic he may not ever recover, given the state of him. That is what I would propose for him," she finally said in a decisive tone.

Lucius raised his eyebrows, "That is all you would have us do?" he asked incredulously.

A small smile played on her lips. "You know as well as anyone what I am capable of when pushed Lucius. However, I prefer to do things the right way. I couldn't bring myself to show the men I sent to your doorstep that night any mercy, but today I can show this man some," she explained.

"You are a woman of many dimensions Ms. Granger," said the older Malfoy evenly, "if this is what you wish for him, then so it shall be...BUT...if this... _scum_ …survives this, I will be petitioning for him to be thrown into Azkaban for the remainder of his pathetic existence, know that," he said aggressively, directing his statement to the unconscious body on the bed before them.

"As you wish, Lucius," she replied gently, "let's get out of here."

* * *

As they walked together through the restricted area in St. Mungos, Hermione caught her first real break of the day.

It came in the form of the handsome reformed wizard Theo Nott.

She had not considered that he would be there,but it made sense. He oversaw the management of most of the healing facilities in the wizarding world and had made huge money privately in the sale and creation of healing potions. Regardless, it caught her a little of guard.

Clearly, the presence of Hermione AND Lucius in the hospital (together) elicited the same reaction in him.

"Hermione… Lucius," greeted Theo, obviously confused about the strange twosome. She caught Lucius in a smirk in her peripheral vision, clearly amused by the younger wizard's confusion.

Lucius, being rather adept at reading a room, nodded at Theo politely and wandered off to take in the view from a nearby window, leaving the pair in semi-privacy.

"How are you?" asked Hermione courteously. "I would be much be much better if a certain witch would agree to go to dinner with me tonight?" he flirted sweetly.

The man was not lacking in charm. Tall, dark, handsome and well-dressed - he cut an impressive figure. Hermione could not help but notice the amorous attention of the passing female healers (and a few of the men). She also felt a faint blush push its way onto her cheeks at his blatant flirtatiousness.

"Well, I have been rather indisposed Theo," she reasoned.

"Ah yes, I heard about the situation at the Ministry," he said with a tinge of concern in his voice.

"And how, pray tell, did you hear about this given the Ministry hushed it up?" she accused playfully. "I have my contacts Hermione," he replied with a wink.

 _Oh my_ , she thought.

Given the course of the last few days and the blatant disappointment that was Draco-fucking-Malfoy, she decided that perhaps, now was the time to be a little reckless.

"Well, I might have an opening in my busy schedule tonight," she said spiritedly.

"Oh, is that so?" he teased. "Yes, right in between laying on my couch feeling sorry for myself and laying in my bath feeling sorry for myself," she said lightheartedly. This caused the handsome wizard to let out a genuine chuckle.

"But," her voice foreboding, "I'll have to be home early as I am not even meant to be out of the house right now, Ministry orders," she said with a wink.

"Escaped the prison have you?" he asked cheekily. "You don't know the half of it," replied Hermione, eyes sparkling.

* * *

On the other side of the room Lucius Malfoy listened to the attractive young pair flirt.

Theodore Nott was certainly a fine young man, worthy of Hermione. Though he had rather got his hopes up that perhaps his son might have enjoyed some happiness with the young woman he now saw as his friend and confidante.

If only he were a young man, he would have certainly been enthralled by the pretty war heroine. Her many facets and ability to be both virtuous and completely vicious was enticing in a way that was truly special in this world.

She would be the kind of woman that would push Draco to be better, without trying to fundamentally change his Malfoy temperament. She would accept him as she had come to accept Lucius, but leave him wanting to do better of his own accord.

Her impact as a friend had been profound, as a lover, he could only imagine, she would really be something to behold.

To him, that is what the boy really needed.

Sure, it would be nice to continue their pureblood heritage and to maintain a proud position in the twenty-eight, but the dating pool was relatively dismal and in his old age he had rather come to think his son being happy and challenged should be more important.

Also, some vapid little pureblood witch who cared only for the Malfoy fortune would hardly be a good addition to a family as prestigious as that of the Malfoys..

Clearly Nott had no issue with being a 'blood traitor' given the way he was eyeing Hermione at this present moment.

Lucius found himself smirking when he thought about Cantankerus Nott rolling in his grave at the thought of his descendant's preference for the muggle-born witch.

Regardless of tradition, times had changed and he was finally able to see and accept that. Lucius hardly wanted to dance under a rainbow holding hands with muggles, but he could at the least see the value of muggle-borns like Hermione, and certainly wanted to see the end of their persecution.

In light of that, this situation just would not do. Malfoys were excellent at manipulation and he was going to use this talent for some bloody good.

He had no doubt that if his son had spent the night with Granger he would want more. He only had to look at her to see that she would be an explosive witch. He tried not to think about that too much because he loved his wife (and son), but he was a red-blooded male after all and she was, so exquisite.

It would burn Draco to the core to see her on his former school mate's arm, which is exactly why he elected not to sabotage the young wizard, currently making plans to pick her up at eight that night.

Instead, he took note of the restaurant they would be attending, deciding he would give his old 'friend' Rita Skeeter at the _Prophet_ a call to let her know that two high profile young love birds would be dining at a certain expensive French restaurant that night.

He smirked to himself when he thought about the look on Draco's face when he picked up the newspaper the next day.

The plan was simple, but foolproof. After all, he knew better than anyone that Malfoy's don't like to share.


	18. SM Part 18: The Date

**Original Notes:** I wanted more Malfoys (I missed them) in this chapter, but I thought Theo/the date deserved to take up some time. Thanks for all your reviews and encouragement - I read them, I love them, I take them on board!

 **Disclaimer:** Rated M for adult content. Still don't own Harry Potter or a sportscar.

* * *

 **Part Eighteen: The Date**

* * *

"You look beautiful, have I told you that?" Said Theo flirtatiously from across the table.

"You may have mentioned it a few times," said Hermione, blushing despite her best efforts. "Very smooth of you by the way," she added, trying to lessen her embarrassment over her obvious swooning.

Theo smirked but let her get away with her distraction technique. He was used to the rosy colour he inspired in the cheeks of women, but appreciated her attempts to downplay it. Unsurprisingly, she was not going to give herself away to him too easily, a quality he found very attractive.

Hermione had to admit, she felt nervous. Although recent events had caused her to accept the date, she had actually been considering it for some time. Before the Ministry, and before Draco. She was interested in Theo.

Theo Nott came from an exceptionally wealthy and respected pure blood family. One of the sacred twenty-eight in fact. Hermione thought the whole process of intermarriage between so few families was rather incestuous but then again, most of them wouldn't care what she thought anyway since she was just a lowly "mudblood." Not that her blood status appeared to be bothering the youngest Nott.

She really didn't know where to start with the handsome wizard.

At Hogwarts they had little to do with each other and she was not aware of how much or little he had been involved with Voldemort at the time - though she knew that his father was up to his eyeballs in it just like Lucius Malfoy.

Since the war, he had gone on to become successful as a businessman and a philanthropist, dated several beautiful pure blooded witches and managed to be _Witch Weekly's_ most eligible wizard more than once.

Much like the Malfoy men, Theo was impossibly handsome, always impeccably dressed and somehow smelt heavenly at all times. However, unlike the Malfoys, he was far less aloof. There was a warmth to Theo which broadened his appeal.

* * *

"So, Theo, why is it that you wanted to ask me on a date? I doubt my blood status has escaped your notice," she said with a grin, enjoying his apparent discomfort. Hermione loved to challenge men and made sure to maintain eye contact after having put him on the spot. If he couldn't stand to be challenged – he wasn't right for her anyway.

He regarded her a moment before removing his wand and putting a silencing charm around the table they occupied in the restaurant.

"Very blunt of you lioness," he purred. Hermione wondered why it was that former dark wizards seemed to favour lioness as a term of endearment for her.

"Well, I've had a fairly interesting life Theo - I tend not to like to waste time. I know Slytherins like yourself tend to play your cards close to your chest but I wasn't sorted into your house for a reason you know," she said honestly.

"From what I've heard, you've got a number of qualities fitting of a Slytherin Miss Granger- you sell yourself short," countered Theo suggestively.

"…And just what exactly is it that you've heard Mr. Nott?" asked Hermione sweetly. Her pupils were dilated and her voice was laced with flirtation - neither attribute escaped the handsome wizard she was with.

"Well, let's just say, I was more than a little surprised to see you and Lucius Malfoy strolling through the restricted area of my hospital, given your ah... colourful history," replied Theo with a raised eyebrow.

"Lucius and I are old friends," said Hermione carefully.

This seemed to entertain Theo greatly. "Friends," he said slowly in an amused tone.

"Yes friends, and just what is so amusing about that hmmm?" challenged Hermione.

"I can't say I've ever seen the appeal of someone who has used an unforgivable curse on me as a friend," said Theo innocently, through a wicked smile.

Hermione bit her lip. It wasn't often that she felt as though she was on the back foot, but Theo clearly had the upper hand.

"Cat got your tongue sweetheart?" he asked, eyes sparking.

"Unforgiveable curses? Against my close friend Lucius? You certainly have an active imagination Theo, perhaps you should have considered being a novelist," she said innocently.

Theo chuckled. "Nice try Hermione, but my father was the one who found him in the forest – I think I have it on good authority that you used _crucio_ rather effectively that day," he said.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. She felt suddenly suspicious of the man in front of her. "What else has your father told you?" she asked seriously.

Theo's eyes shone, his brilliant and cunning Slytherin mind visibly ticking. "What else could there possibly be lioness? It seems to me like your question implies that you may have got up to a little more than torturing poor Lucius Malfoy," he said deviously.

"Well, that's hardly a good topic for conversation on a date Theo. I thought you were a gentleman? You should know better than to press a lady for her secrets, no?" she asked, feigning innocence. Deep down, she was relieved that he clearly did not know the extent of what she had done.

"Plus, I seem to remember rather a lot of speculation that you yourself were a Death Eater," added Hermione.

Theo frowned and rolled up his sleeves. There was no sign of the Dark Mark ever having been there. "You must not believe everything you hear now young lady," he scolded playfully.

Hermione smirked. She liked this wizard. He was holding his own.

"Well the question, dearest Theo, is this - why have you requested to be in the presence of a woman you know to have tortured a family friend of yours?" She asked suggestively, "I didn't think you to be deranged… Am I wrong?" she added in good humour.

"Maybe I'm in to that sort of thing," he replied spiritedly.

Hermione raised both eyebrows and pressed her tongue to the corner of her mouth subconsciously. She then leaned in closer to the attractive wizard, "I'll need a few more drinks before we talk about that," she said with a wink.

"Well then…" said Theo as he made a show of flagging down the waiter in an exaggerated fashion to request another bottle of wine which coaxed a sincere laugh from Hermione.

Thoughts of the last week, the Ministry and Malfoy floated away from her mind as she melted into the moment with the charismatic wizard. She felt positively giddy. So much so, that she didn't notice the hint of a camera flash as she held his arm and whispered into his ear over after dinner drinks.

* * *

After several hours of enjoying each other's company Hermione and Theo decided to call it a night. Although her recovery was going extremely well, she was feeling rather tired and sore and Theo, ever the gentleman – was attentive enough to have noticed.

As they were in a wizarding restaurant, they made use of the floo and were back in her apartment in no time.

Hermione was smiling to herself when she walked into her kitchen to get the fire whiskey for a nightcap. She had temporarily forgotten her worries and was actually feeling positive about her connection with Theo.

Walking back into the living area, she handed him a crystal glass with a generous serving of the whiskey.

Theo examined the quantity and grinned. "Ah, a woman after my own heart," he explained cheerfully.

Hermione could not help but grin at his infectious spirit. Usually purebloods, particularly those with connections to dark magic, were cold and aloof. This wizard was warm and friendly, instantly making her feel at ease.

That is not to say her guard was down. She knew he was aware of some of her past, he was suspicious of her relationship with Lucius and he was extremely intelligent.

She also knew that he was curious about the suggestion that she was perhaps involved in more misuse of magic than the incident with Lucius. Would he really drop it? Or was he biding his time? He certainly was cunning enough for that.

She also wondered if it had been long enough since her breakup with Ron. She still felt like she had a phantom limb in the space he once occupied. Yes, she accepted it was over and believed it to be the right choice, but she had loved him truly.

The nature of true love may change and wane, but in its truest form – it is never really gone. It takes time to move on. Had she taken enough? Probably not. Then again, it wasn't just any day that _Witch Weekly's_ most eligible wizard was in her apartment drinking fire whiskey and flirting with her was it?

* * *

Hermione decided that life was for the living and therefore, she was going to throw herself into the moment with Theo rather than thinking herself out of it (which she was prone to doing).

After all, that's why she was so taken with Draco that night. She had forgotten to think with him.

Theo sat down in one of her armchairs and gestured towards his knee. Instinctively Hermione sat on his lap and pressed her glass to her lips, taking a large sip of fire whiskey. It burnt on the way down but she was rather partial to it.

"I suppose I had better leave soon and let you get to bed. I couldn't have the Minister after me for damaging one of his best assets could I?" he said teasingly.

"Certainly not, plus what kind of witch do you think I am?" she asked wickedly.

"A very beautiful one," he replied, placing a soft kiss on her jaw. Hermione giggled approvingly. "A very interesting one," he continued, placing another kiss on her chin causing her to turn her head to face him. He looked at her intensely. "A very tempting witch," he said as he planted a firm kiss on her lips.

Hermione squirmed in his lap, causing him to grip her hips tightly. 'I can't have you moving around like that Miss Granger," he said mischievously, "If you get me too worked up I may forget I am a gentleman and should be leaving you to rest now," he finished.

"mmmmm," she mumbled as she pressed her lips to his again. He raked his hands down her back as he parted his lips and deepened the kiss just as soon as she parted hers. They stayed like that for many minutes, kissing slowly and sensuously. His hands never strayed and neither did hers.

Theo wasn't sure how he would somehow bring himself to leave that night.

* * *

Eventually, they dragged their lips away from each other for long enough to regain control. Hermione stood up and straightened her skirt.

"I am so glad you finally agreed to come out with me Hermione, I was beginning to think you never would," he admitted as they stood by the floo.

"You're rather hard to resist Theodore Nott," she replied.

"So are you Hermione Granger," he said huskily as he stared at her kiss swollen lips.

"Goodbye then," he said softly.

"For now," she smiled.

"For now," he nodded in agreement, and with that he was gone.


	19. Stolen Secrets Part 19

**Hello all – I apologize for a somewhat delayed update but as I have mentioned previously I was on a little vacation. Once again, I am super tired so there will probably be some errors. Sorry!**

 **Lightofevolution: agreed, Theo is adorable and will continue to be so (and may just get rewarded) – but I missed my Malfoy boys, so here is more Draco!**

 **Missmusician14: thanks as always for your detailed review! You really get the point of my story (everyone has more than one side and we're exploring that).**

 **I was BOTWP, Geekmom13, Filisgare, elizabethrose1974 and MaidenAlice – thanks for your words! I hope you enjoy what is to come.**

 **Standard disclaimer. This story is rated M for mature content so do not read it if you are underage or sensitive to that.**

 **I also do not own the rights to Harry Potter (or very much at all)!**

 **Now with the housekeeping out of the way – lets continue….**

 **7:30 am – The Apartment of Draco Malfoy**

Draco sat staring daggers into his breakfast. He was livid. Also a little hurt… but since Malfoy's 'don't get hurt' he decided to focus on just how livid he was.

Not only had she run away from him after a night of intimacy (which he rather enjoyed and had stupidly thought she had as well) but she had also probably got him into trouble at work. After all, her presence in his apartment was work related (not that he had the self-control behave himself in the shower based on this).

Basically, Granger went off the grid and he had to tell the Minister he had no idea where she was. Or at least, he would have to if he didn't track her down soon.

A beautiful black owl arrived at his window suddenly, distracting him from his brooding thoughts.

He accepted his daily mail from the bird and sent it on its way. There were a few letters. One from his mother, probably asking him when he would find a wife and stop embarrassing the family, one from the Ministry, likely regarding wages and his copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

He set aside his mail and began un-rolling the Prophet whilst sipping his tea. As soon as he saw the headline he ejected the tea from his mouth all over the paper. "Fuck," he exclaimed loudly as he tried to brush away the beverage from the offending article.

 **"HERMIONE GRANGER, PRINCESS OF 'THE GOLDEN TRIO' FINDS LOVE WITH WITCH WEEKLY MOST ELIGIBLE WIZARD OF THE YEAR THEODORE NOTT! DRACO MALFOY OUT OF THE PICTURE?"**

Draco closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Not only had she stood him up and got him trouble at work, but she had managed to get a date with an old friend of his within the space of a day. _Merlin,_ he thought frustrated. He decided to compose himself and continue reading again.

 _"War Heroine and senior member of the Ministry of Magic Hermione Granger was caught last night dining in style with Theodore Nott, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who was in her year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

 _This came as a surprise to those at the Prophet as Miss Granger was seen earlier in the month with Draco Malfoy, another prominent wizard from a pureblooded family with links to the dark arts, Death Eaters and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Nott were both members of Slytherin House, known rivals of Miss. Granger's Gryffindor house._

 _The Prophet certainly does not accuse the wizards of having any links to present illegal activity, but Ms. Granger's apparent taste for reformed dark wizards is likely to ruffle a few feathers in her social circle. It is rumoured she is still an active member of the Order of the Phoenix and has petitioned tirelessly since the end of the War against the privilege afforded to pureblooded families like the Malfoys and Notts._

 _Could there be love in the air for the attractive young twosome? The pair were last seen canoodling in the restaurant and leaving together via floo."_

He had been trying to ignore the accompanying photo but eventually had to look at it. Hermione was cuddled up to Theo, touching his arm and laughing as he whispered something into her ear, his lips grazing her cheek as he did so.

Draco was positively irate. _Well, there goes finding her before the Ministry realized she was missing_ , he thought.

 _Of all wizards she could have gone out with, it just had to be Theo._

Theo and Malfoy were friends, admittedly not as close as he and Zabini, but friends none-the-less. He was almost as rich as Malfoy, arguably as good looking and according to general opinion a much more likable character. Although Draco believed that he and his family were truly the best, Theo was serious competition. After all, even witch weekly ranked Draco below him, which was still a sore spot many months on.

First, he needed to work out what he wanted from Granger, then he needed a plan. _What do I want from Granger?_ he thought to himself.

 _Everything_ , said a small voice in the back of his head. He tried to fight it.

He thought about cutting her off. Throwing her under the bus somehow with the Ministry. Finding a way to hurt her and make her feel like he wasn't impressed by her...that she was a filthy _mudblood_ and he felt dirty for having touched her. It's what the old Malfoy would have done. Actually, it's still what he would do, _to anyone but her_. He let out a defeated sigh at that inconvenient little epiphany.

He noticed his owl had returned with yet another letter which he decided to look at out of curiosity. It was not often he got a second round of mail at this time. It was from his father.

 _Oh great_ , thought Draco, _Just when I thought the morning couldn't get better._ Draco set about reading the note, clearly hearing his father's smug voice ringing in his mind as he did so.

 _"_ _Draco, have you seen the cover of the Prophet today? It looks like our mutual friend is recovering well. Theo is a lovely boy, I will have your mother invite them to our next dinner party. I doubt his family will appreciate his association with a muggle-born, but I imagine he has the strength of character to overcome that – wouldn't you agree?_

 _Regards,_

 _L."_

Draco slammed his fist to his kitchen bench, bruising his knuckle and causing himself to yelp in pain. _Fuck fuck fuck._

* * *

Draco wasn't entirely sure where he wanted to take things with Hermione but he knew he was not ready to let Theo-fucking-Nott have her, especially before he got to finish what he started and make a decision himself. The idea of Theo touching her, or god forbid, shagging her, made him want to hit his childhood friend with an _unforgivable._

His fingers burned at the thought of running his hands through her hair that night. His palms almost itched at the memory of the curve of her hip, her chest… _And those lips,_ he thought lustfully.

Draco snapped himself out of his current mental tangent and went back to the problems at hand. His father was a git who clearly never missed an opportunity to remind him that he was a no-good coward, he was definitely going to be hauled over the coals at work for losing a high profile, injured member of staff and the woman he was desperately interested in was dating his friend within the space of a day of sharing a bed with him.

being a logical wizard, he decided that he needed to handle the most pressing issues first. Theo needed to be shut down and he needed to find a sure-fire way to get Hermione into the same room as him (alone).

His eyes lit up when he noticed something he had been forgetting about with the commotion of the last few months. On his coffee table sat a silver vial of stolen memories which were never returned to their owner. Their owner being Miss Hermione Granger.

Draco knew that she was aware when he dug through the memories which had discouraged him from using them further...until now.

He certainly recalled her rage the day she stormed into his office and hexed him over them. Yes, he would be violating her – but she got over it enough to let him roam her body and ravage her mouth all night so she probably could forgive him again. She was after all, an insufferably good person at times.

Plus, if she didn't forgive him, he would be no worse off and would at least get the pleasure of punishing the cow for running off on him with his friend. He felt a brief pang of guilt for that thought but recovered quickly. Draco Malfoy was never going to be the nicest of people – he accepted that long ago. He was angry, so he was mean.

An evil smirk, characteristic only of the Malfoy family crawled across his handsome face.

He was going to get her attention by any means necessary and he had what he needed.

The game was on.

* * *

Hermione sat on her couch looking at the cover story of the _Prophet_ with a mixture of pride and disgust.

She hated the vultures that worked there and felt thoroughly violated at the intrusion but on the other hand, her more frivolous side was quite happy to see that they were no longer reporting on her "devastating break-up" with Ron or her terminal singleness.

She thought she looked fucking sublime in that picture and she liked the sparkle captured in Theo's eyes as he whispered in her ear.

Basically, it was an ego boost. Hermione was a very selfless person who worked hard for the causes she cared about, but what person doesn't like to feel attractive and wanted once in a while?

She did however, feel a little bad about one element of the cover story.

By now, everyone in the wizarding world will have seen it, including the Minister for Magic. She was meant to be on bedrest at Draco's before she had jumped ship and wound up on a rather impulsive date with the handsome wizard.

 _How did the Prophet know they would be there anyway?_ She wondered briefly before she decided that she would be sure to let the Minister know that Malfoy looked after her well. She would simply omit their lewd shower behaviour and suggest that Hermione, being Hermione, felt she was an independent enough witch and well enough to go home and there wasn't a damn thing Draco could do about it short of hexing her which would be frowned on by the Ministry. She was annoyed at him but wasn't about to let him have a career he worked hard for be damaged.

Moving on to happier thoughts, she stared at her copy of the Prophet, which Theo had sent as she didn't subscribe to such trash. He had also added a note written in shining gold script and dripping with his trademark cheekiness. She couldn't help but smile.

 _"Hermione,_

 _Might I just say you looked lush in that dress (but it was even better in person). Front page news for a front page kind of witch._

 _I want to see you again!? Perhaps we should do something adventurous. Teach me a muggle activity? I heard it only hurts the first time._

 _Faithfully,_

 _T."_

Theodore Nott, son of a Death Eater and former blood purist wanted to do something _muggle_ with her?

Truthfully, there were not that many muggle-borns available to her to spend time with. Half-bloods tended to favour the wizarding side for activities and Hermione often felt like she was missing out on her own heritage because of this.

No one ever really took an interest in that side of her life (other than Ron's father of course…but answering questions about string lights and rubbish bins did get a bit old after a while).

She smirked thinking about what kind of inane muggle activity she could force upon Theo, wondering for how long he could keep up his good humoured façade (if it was indeed, a façade…she was undecided). Perhaps he could help her clean her flat by hand?

* * *

She couldn't help but think about what Draco might do in such a situation. Would he ever want to do anything muggle with her? Probably not. He appeared to still hold on to a far greater superiority complex than Theo.

She had to admit, the blonde wizard had got under her skin more than she would have liked. It was the way he looked at her… the way he touched her… the wicked but soft nothings he whispered in her ear all night…the fact that he touched her like she was fragile when he knew how false that was. He had given her something Ron or the other wizards she had been 'intimate' with never had. It was a unique blend of passion, acceptance, transparency, trust and a sprinkle of fear. She had found it intoxicating.

So, admittedly, when she came out of that intoxicating bubble and remembered he had been spreading that special blend with every witch in town (who the hell was "A.?") she had been furious.

In the cold light of day she realized perhaps that anger was a bit irrational – but the way he made her feel was dangerous and going on a date with Theo had made it clear that there were other wizards out there who were more suited to her.

Plus, her loyalty was meant to be to Lucius after all. He had accepted her truly as his friend and equal – but she doubted he wanted his bloodline or position in the 28 compromised.

She had taken _the vow_ to represent his (legitimate) interests. Ruining his family's reputation probably wasn't one of them…and she knew full well what violating _the vow_ meant for her life.

No, Theo was the logical choice. Hermione valued reason above most things in life – therefore she felt relatively comfortable relegating the intangible Draco to the dark part of her heart reserved for things she did not dare dwell on.

She removed her parchment and wrote two letters. The first was to the Minister.

 _"_ _Minister,_

 _I would like to formally apologize for the Daily Prophet today._

 _I fear I have put Mr. Malfoy in position where he may be chastised or professionally disciplined. I would implore you not to take this action._

 _As you know, I am a grown woman with strong magical capabilities._

 _Mr. Malfoy was not able to prevent me from leaving without physically or magically restraining me, which would have been wholly inappropriate given our professional relationship._

 _If anything, the article should deflect any possible attention from recent happenings, which I shall not discuss here for obvious reasons._

 _Please accept my apologies._

 _Regards,_

 _H.J. Granger"_

The second letter went to Theo.

 _"_ _You looked entirely too handsome in that photograph Mr. Nott, or should I say – Mr. Witch Weekly?_

 _I shall think of a wholly torturous muggle activity to subject you to – but don't worry, I'll be gentle._

 _I will see you tonight at 7pm, if you're available of course..._

 _Truly,_

 _H."_

She sent her owl away with a satisfied sigh, took her medication and went back to bed, blissfully unaware that despite her best intentions, Draco had other plans for her entirely.


	20. Stolen Secrets Part 20

**Hi Guys, another update! I had been thinking about it while I was away so here it is.**

 **Thanks for your comments as always - it's usually the best part of my day seeing what you all think.**

 **Some more Theo/Draco/Hermione for your reading pleasure.**

 **Standard disclaimer - M for mature content and no, I am not JK and I don't own the Potterverse.**

* * *

Draco sat in Theo's office staring at the man he had known from the time they were babies. Their fathers had supported Voldemort together and become Death Eaters early in their lives. They were of course, expected to follow in their father's footsteps.

As teenagers both struggled with the moral dilemmas associated with going to school with _'mudbloods'_ and _'blood traitors'_ and not seeing them in the same way that their fathers did. Not actually wanting to hurt them – not really thinking they deserved it.

Draco had managed his guilt by clinging more tightly to his father's views and trying to convince himself that his actions were right. That was part of the reason he had teased Hermione so much about her blood status in those days. It was also the reason he used the cabinet to let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts – something he regretted bitterly to the present day.

Theo had managed by distancing himself from his father and his views – though not enough as to attract too much attention. Basically, whatever way the war went, Theo was going to be fine.

Publicly, people saw him as a bit of a sweetheart – but Draco knew that he was every bit as cunning as he. Theodore Nott knew how to look after his own interests. He was a worthy opponent that was for sure.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Draco?" smiled Theo. His greeting was genuine and Draco knew in an instant that he knew nothing of what went on between himself and Hermione. Perhaps he didn't even know that she had been staying there at all, though he was sure her injuries did not go entirely unnoticed by the clever wizard.

Draco had thought extensively about how he was to handle things with Theo. He had considered asking him as a friend to back away from Hermione, but was far too stubborn to come off as pathetic to someone he had known for so long.

His darker thoughts were along the lines of using _Imperius_ to convince the man that he was not in fact interested in Hermione, but ultimately he convinced himself that it was a line one should not cross with anyone you valued. Plus, if either of them ever found out they would never forgive him.

For one reason or another, Theo and Draco had never competed for a woman and therefore he was not sure if he was as jealous and possessive as himself. However, it tended to be the case with men of their stature and from their backgrounds.

Therefore, feeling like his options were limited – he decided to try to directly sabotage Theo and Hermione using the oldest trick in the book.

"I saw your cover on the Daily Prophet, quite the story dear Theo. I must say, I was rather shocked given that the witch in question had been in MY bed the night before," he said, smirking.

Theo's expression tightened but he gave little away. "Is that so Draco?" he replied coolly. "Indeed," responded Draco with a raised eyebrow.

"Interesting…I must say, I feel sorry for you if that's the case," said Theo with a twinkle in his eye.

"Why is that?" bit Malfoy.

"Well…it can't have been too good an experience if Miss Granger made a swift getaway right into the arms of another wizard," he said, an amused smile on his face.

Draco felt his face flush, but he had to keep his cool. Theo was a snake and he had already shown him enough of his hand.

"Am I to believe you do not care that the witch you are with has such fickle affections?" asked Draco, hiding the incredulousness he felt.

"Despite how we were raised Draco, women are not possessions," said Theo scoldingly, "Hermione has made no commitment to me and is free to do as she pleases with her life," he finished.

"And what if she continued to frequent my bed?" goaded Malfoy.

"That will be her decision," replied Theo. "But I very much doubt that's going to be the case," he added with a mischievous grin.

Malfoy had to pinch his forearm to remain calm. He wanted to wipe the shit-eating-grin straight off the well-dressed wizard's face. Instead, he smiled sweetly at his old friend.

"Well then, may the best wizard win," said Draco calmly, extending his arm for a handshake.

"Indeed," smiled Theo, taking his friends hand firmly.

* * *

"So, what are we doing?" smiled Theo.

"I had contemplated having you scrub my bathroom to get a taste for every day muggle life but I decided you really didn't deserve that kind of cruelty," said Hermione wickedly.

"I am actually rather familiar with muggle bathroom scrubbing as it goes…" said Theo. "Really?" asked Hermione, not really believing him.

"Yes, believe it or not my mother used to use it as a punishment for us as children," he laughed. "It really is the only muggle thing I have ever done," he added.

"Perhaps I should revise our plans then…" she said trailing off. He gave her arm a squeeze and begged her not to inflict that upon him.

"I thought I would take you somewhere I find fun. To be clear, this is not the height of muggle art or beauty… this is just a happy place for me," she said, not wanting him to get the wrong idea about what she had in mind.

"Okay, lead the way Miss Granger," he said, holding his arm out.

Within a blink Hermione had them appear at a miniature golf course nearby the house she grew up in. "Miniature Golf," uttered Theo as he squinted to read the colourful cartoon sign. He turned to her very seriously and asked, "so there is also a larger version of this golf thing then?" She couldn't help but laugh.

"This is something fun that muggles do. I don't know why but I always found it relaxing to do when I came home for the summer. Things at Hogwarts were always heavy as Harry, Ron and I were dealing with Voldemort from year one… I don't know, this just reminded me that there was still fun in the world," she smiled while remembering.

"Did you come with friends?" he asked, taking what appeared to be a genuine interest. "Sometimes alone, sometimes with friends or my boyfriend at the time," she answered. "Ron?" he asked. Hermione laughed, "Not Ron…" she replied.

"You were always in the library back then, I just assumed when the war ended Ron was your first," said Theo.

"The problem with all of you wizards is you just assumed that I had no life because I was smart," she said haughtily, eliciting a smile from Theo.

"Forgive me for being a teenage boy Hermione, I can assure you I now know that intelligence and scholarly dedication don't preclude a woman from also having a good time - consider me reformed," he said, smiling sweetly at the petite witch. She couldn't help but be impressed.

"One more thing Theo," she said. He looked at her expectantly. "Prepare to lose," she added with a wink, picking up a pink golf ball.

* * *

Draco was still feeling irritated about Theo. He had thought he would appeal to the jealous side he assumed all men had but evidently the man was either a fantastic actor, or really did not feel threatened by Draco. Either option left him feeling deeply uncomfortable.

 _No matter_ , he thought. Malfoy was going to get Granger back into the apartment by any means necessary. Even if it meant provoking her to want to hex him.

He had only briefly reconsidered invading her privacy when he heard that he was not in trouble at work. Hermione had written to the Minister to clear him of any negligence or wrongdoing. He took her protection of him to mean that she did not think he was entirely worthless. _No, she just thinks you're a womanizing bastard_ , a small voice in his mind reminded him.

He justified himself in deciding that this was the only way to lure her back to him – and he had to get her alone again to get what he wanted – her, naked in his bed again.

He smirked as he poured the familiar silver liquid into his pensive and uttered the word, "secrets." If he was going to do this, he was going to go for the jugular. After all – Draco Malfoy did not do things by halves.

* * *

Immediately he was transported to a time in Hermione's memory that he recognized to be Hogwarts. He saw an altercation between her and Weasel – he was being a complete git because he was jealous of someone else but had not asked her out himself. _Idiot_ , thought Malfoy. He estimated that they must have been fifteen or sixteen at the time.

Hermione ran off and the memory shifted to her weeping figure in a deserted hallway. Her tears were suddenly being wiped away… by none other than Blaise Zabini.

 _Mother fucker_ , thought Draco.

Fortunately (for him), he witnessed nothing too explicit as the memory appeared to edit itself slightly. It had become inexplicably fuzzy in some parts. The fact that she took the time to take this precaution with all of her recollections astounded him. There was no end to the level of organization this woman had achieved in life. No wonder she did so bloody well at work.

Regardless, he did observe Zabini drag her into a broom closet, he saw her legs wrap around the much younger version of his friend, he heard her moan softly as he thrust into her… he noted casually she clearly wasn't a virgin at this time – meaning she wasn't quite the good girl everyone thought she was even then.

He wondered why his friend never told him and if it was possible that he kept tabs on Granger after all of these years. After all, it was Zabini who suggested they take Hermione's memories. Did he want Draco to see this? Or did he want to find out what she thought of him for another reason? He felt a mixture of jealousy and curiosity about the whole thing.

He regretted the night he ever took the memories. It was like opening Pandora's Box. He couldn't un-see it. He couldn't forget it.

Draco's train of thought was disrupted when her memory was moved again to a different time. On this occasion he was confronted with the image of his younger self. He was snarling at her, calling her a filthy _mudblood_ and harping on about how far society had fallen in making him go to school with her.

She stood there, looking at him with hatred and defiance, saying nothing. When his younger self finally relented and walked away, probably getting bored and wanting to find another victim (he assumed), she turned and wiped a tear from her eye. She looked so broken and so hurt.

He felt a strange pulling in his heart. It was not something he felt often. He didn't know he hurt her enough to make her cry. She never did it in front of him. _Too strong_ , he thought. Even now, that pain registered as a secret in her mind. She was ashamed of it. _It isn't her who should be ashamed_ , he thought to himself.

Somewhere in the swirl of her memory he heard her say his name. Then he heard his father's name. He was transported to a place he recognized to be Malfoy Manor and saw his mother, father and Hermione standing together in silence.

"I don't trust you," she said. "That makes two of us Miss Granger," replied Lucius coolly.

"There is only way we can ever be sure…" she trailed off.

"I know," said Lucius ominously.

"This will be between us, it will not involve Draco," she added as a caveat. He cringed when he heard her say his name.

He noted his mother's eyes darting nervously between the pair. They took each other by the forearm and allowed Narcissa to perform the _unbreakable vow_.

Draco's jaw dropped. He knew they had aligned themselves and he knew they had some kind of strange bond but he had no idea the length they had gone to. The punishment for breaking the vow was death. It was more serious than marriage. It was more serious than anything…and they had done it together.

His mind was racing. He thought about getting out of the dream like state the pensive was inducing but decided against it when her mind shifted again to an image of Harry Potter.

"I thought he was cheating on me with Lavender," she confided in him.

"It's not true Hermione, I know for sure," comforted Harry. He noted the intimacy of their position – she was curled into his side in her apartment. He still struggled to believe they had only been just friends - but her memories all but proved it the first night he and Blaise took them. _Then again, she edited some of them didn't she?_

"Ron cheating is not the problem," she whispered. Potter looked down at her with wide eyes, "what is the problem then?" he asked her gently. "I don't care enough to be angry if he did," she admitted, covering her face with her hands.

"Merlin, what a mess," breathed Potter, stroking her hair as she silently nuzzled him. No tears fell, but on some level he knew Granger was crying.

* * *

He decided this was enough, she would surely have been alerted to his activities by now and he knew he should stop before going any further. Granger clearly had many secrets – most of which he did not like. Frankly, he could have lived without knowing about Zabini in that broom closet or that doing right by his father literally meant life or death for her.

He also didn't feel like having his genitalia hexed off which he sensed it would end up going if he pried much further into her life.

Unfortunatly for Draco, he didn't get a chance to leave before a piercing scream brought him to his knees.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD," he heard her scream. He felt his stomach tighten. Was she really powerful enough to use _Legilimency_ in such a way? How the hell could she get into his head when he was basically inside of hers?

"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!" she screamed. He had no idea what the hell to do – so he did what she said. Draco had no desire to hear her scream again.

He stepped away from the pensive feeling as though the wind had been taken from him. Malfoy's hands shook as he poured himself a fire whiskey and began the arduous task of waiting for a rage filled Granger to appear in his apartment.

He hoped he had not made a catastrophic error in judgment in doing what he did.

* * *

Hermione was leaning on the door of the mini golf bathroom suppressing the urge to storm into Malfoy's apartment and murder him that very moment. The night she went to his apartment to get the memories and he threw his tantrum she had neglected to grab them on her way out. When she was back there injured she was either too sick or too full of lust to even think of it. _He still fucking had them._

It had taken almost all of her strength to use _Legilimency_ to get into his mind and send him a warning. She could sense that he had left – but for how long she did not know.

He was clearly trying to provoke her and it had worked.

She stood and fixed her makeup ready to return to her date – determined not to let the blonde haired ferret faced asshole ruin what had been an amazing date.

She would deal with Draco Malfoy later. _Oh yes she would._


	21. Stolen Secrets Part 21

**Another update! Time for some emotions and feels from our favourite young wizard.**

 **Thanks for your prompt reviews last night/this morning. Your enthusiasm for this story really keeps me going as I press on forward towards a conclusion (which is still a few chapters away).**

 **I actually have an idea for another story formulating as well - which I will get started on soon. Trying to keep my focus on this and finishing some of my others first! Damn this addictive fanfic writing.**

 **As usual - M for adult content and I don't own Harry Potter or profit from this (other than the warm and fuzzies I get out of it).**

* * *

Theo was struggling to keep his wits about him as he ran his teeth down Hermione's neck. She had told him that she couldn't stay, that she had something she had to attend to – and he knew that something was Draco Malfoy.

He was not a naive wizard. He knew that Hermione was attracted to him, her beautiful brown eyes with gold flakes would dilate when they met his, but he also knew Draco was not lying about her being in his bed either.

Theo had not lied to Draco, he didn't care that she was there. It was before their date. That's not to say that he didn't find it threatening.

He was deeply attracted to Hermione and had wanted her for years, but he was not going enter into a pissing match with Draco Malfoy.

Like Draco, Theo was a master of strategy. It was clear that Malfoy was trying to provoke some kind of reaction in Hermione, and given the black look in her eye when she got back from the bathroom earlier, he guessed he had been successful.

Theo's strategy was going to be simple. He was going to let Draco fuck it up himself. Then, when the path was clear – he would have her all to himself (which is what he really wanted).

On the off chance that Malfoy won her affections, Theo would simply live with it. At least he would still be walking away with his dignity. Or perhaps he would try and steal her away later (but he tried to tell himself he was better than that).

Dignity aside, Theo could not resist one little jab at his oldest friend. When he found himself once again, with the enigmatic witch on his knee he could not resist sucking and biting on her neck to leave marks all over to needle Malfoy with later. He also made sure that the scent of his very distinctive expensive cologne had permeated her skin and hair.

He knew if Malfoy got close enough to her to notice either of these things he would have a coronary. Theo couldn't help but smirk just thinking about it.

"Thank you for an amazing night lioness," he said softly, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. She smiled and ran her hands through his hair.

She rose to leave, but kept her hand protectively on his arm. He smiled to himself knowingly. She did like him, that much was obvious.

He turned to face her before she left via his floo – committing the moment to memory in case he never got to see her look that way again.

She blew a kiss - and with a smile, she was gone.

* * *

Draco sat by the light of the fire, whiskey in one hand and wand in the other.

He knew that he had possibly pushed it too far with Granger and was absolutely ready to deflect hexes. The fire whiskey was for courage.

Draco Malfoy was not afraid of many things in life but he had come to realize he was afraid of Hermione Granger. He was afraid of the way she made him feel. Afraid of the things she made him want. Afraid of the fact that he knew damn well she was undoubtedly the most powerful witch in generations. There was a small part of him that wondered if she would _Crucio_ him, another part that reasoned he would deserve it if she did.

Mostly, he felt insecure about the reason that she did not come to him right away. Where had she been? Was she with Theo? The image of the two tangled in Hermione's sheets made him sick to the stomach.

A loud commotion pulled him from his moody thoughts as his study door blew clean off, taking some of the wall with it.

"How dare you, you fucking bastard!" she exclaimed. Hermione Granger sure did know how to make an entrance.

"That door was an antique made from imported timber Granger, it certainly did not deserve such an undignified end," he responded, his carefully constructed mask of indifference firmly in place.

* * *

Hermione stood, observing Draco like a wild animal stalking her prey. His wand was drawn and his stance was defensive – he clearly knew she was a threat.

She knew exactly what she was going to do. She was going to get some fucking answers.

Why was he provoking her so? Why did he seduce her? What did he want? What game was he playing? She was sick of all the bloody questions and doubt. She was not one for uncertainty of doubt. She was Hermione Granger and she was in charge of her destiny and in control of her life.

He deflected the first onslaught of her hexes quite impressively. If she was not so furious at the time she would have been rapt with how competent he was at dueling, especially with a glass of fire whiskey on the other hand. Then again, he was a Department Head for Dark Arts at the Ministry so logically he must be a talented wizard.

Not more talented than her though, and certainly not more angry. Eventually Hermione disarmed him, but not before destroying half of his office in trying to do so.

She stood panting, holding both wands. He stared at her, eyes on fire.

"What now Granger?" he spat, " _Crucio_? Curse me to dagger myself? Are you going to kill me?" he smirked.

"Don't be so ridiculous ferret," she said, more calmly than she thought possible given her current mental state.

He seemed thrown by the sudden change of tone.

With a flick of her wand he was restrained on his desk chair. He looked at her with a mixture of fear and curiosity. She wondered what was going through his mind.

"Where are my memories?" she asked gently, closing the gap between them.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," he said smirking. Did the wizard have a death wish?

She exhaled loudly. He wanted to do this the hard way.

She pulled a small vial of her own from her pocket. His eyes became wide with realization. She was going to force the truth out of him.

* * *

"I am not taking that," he spat angrily at her. He realized he was being a hypocrite of course. He had violated her privacy but was livid at the idea she was about to invade his.

Her response was only to laugh bitterly before raising her wand. The volatile witch from the memories he had seen had been pulled from her and he regretted being the one to do the pulling.

He felt the cold liquid slide down his throat. He wanted desperately to spit it out but he realized she had used _Imperius_ to force him to comply. He could have her thrown in Azkaban for this, but somehow he knew his father would never allow it.

The _Veritaserum_ took effect instantly. _Well, you're screwed now Malfoy_ , he thought to himself.

He felt the binding around his wrists tighten as she sat on his lap. The first thing he noticed was the pleasure of her weight on his body. He yearned to touch her, despite the severity of the situation.

The second thing he noticed was a familiar scent. She smelt strongly of Theodore Nott. His heart sank. She was with him that night. It's why she had taken hours to come to him. Not even his clear violation of her privacy had dragged her away from the handsome wizard.

He felt something inside of him crack when he also noticed the love bites littering her neck and collar bone. Had Theo already had her? He closed his eyes and tried to compose himself.

"You are insane," he told her.

"You knew that and you still kept provoking me, why?" she asked.

He wanted to lie. He wanted to play it cool. Sadly, he couldn't. The potion was far too powerful to overcome.

"Because I wanted to see you again," he replied, a pained expression written into his handsome features.

Hermione looked a little taken aback. It was not the reaction he expected. He thought she would have worked it out for herself.

"Why did you want to see me again?" she probed.

"Because I liked touching you," he replied, feeling positively distraught at this point.

Her eyes widened. Surely he had been obvious about how much he enjoyed her in that shower, and the time they shared in bed afterwards? Was it possible she really thought she meant nothing to him and he was just playing games with her?

"Are you sorry for what you did?" she asked.

"I am sorry for taking your memories but I am not sorry for seeing them," he replied, still hating that he was compelled to be honest. He hated being honest. Malfoy's found honesty distasteful. He far preferred to control the narrative.

"Elaborate," she demanded.

"That's not a question," he responded with a smirk. He thought she might slap him.

"Why are you not sorry for seeing my memories," she asked, putting emphasis on 'why.' He frowned. _When will this wear off_? he wondered, still compelled to answer her honestly.

"Because I like knowing you better," he finally replied.

"Why do you like knowing me when all you have seen is the worst of me?" she asked.

He was using every ounce of strength he had to fight the potion. He was making a damn fool of himself, but it was useless.

"I like you as you are..." he choked. Her eyes softened a little but he could see she had her own internal struggle going on.

"Where are my memories?" she asked, clearly gaining control over whatever internal chaos she was experiencing.

"In the top drawer of my desk," he answered. She leaned over and opened the draw, removing the sparkling vial. She made eye contact with him as she threw it hard onto the tile floor, smashing it into a million shimmering pieces. She then turned her unyielding attentions back to the distraught young wizard.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me but have held back Draco?" she asked, absentmindedly straightening his tie. He realized that his usually immaculate appearance must have been dismantled in the earlier confrontation.

"I want to apologize," he began, flinching at the candour he had no control over.

"For what?" she asked.

"For what I saw in your memory. How I used to treat you as a child and a teenager – it was as disgusting as it was wrong. I would love to just blame my upbringing, which is of course partially responsible - but I was an intelligent boy. I read almost as much as you, you know. I was smart enough to think for myself and conclude that blood purity was garbage – I just wasn't brave enough…. And you suffered… and others suffered..." he wanted to cry. He was livid that she extracted this from him so unfairly but he was somehow relieved to finally get to say it.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness for that, but you should know that when I had you in my bed and you trusted me with your body so completely…I felt forgiven, and it was the most freeing of my experience of my life," he said, looking away ashamedly, his face a brilliant shade of pink. Honesty was the worst.

He wondered what would happen next. She was silent and he did not dare look at her. He had once again, made a mess of things and probably blown his chances.

He was stunned when she snaked her arms around his neck and gave him a warm embrace, exhaling loudly as she did so.

"Oh dear Draco…" she whispered softly. "You are forgiven."

When he sensed her weight lift from him he felt empty in her absence. He watched her walk away before turning abruptly and releasing his bindings. She looked at him sadly before disappearing with a crack.

* * *

Lucius stared intently at the pocket watch he used to keep track of the young witch's movements. He noticed that she had been in Draco's office for some time now and the dot marked Draco and the dot marked Hermione were almost on top of each other by the window – where he knew his sons desk sat.

Lucius smirked. He identified a number of things he would like to do to her if he were a young unattached man and had her alone over a desk - and he hoped his son had it in him to be doing them right now.

A light chuckle escaped his lips. Narcissa looked up from her book and smiled at her husband. He smiled back and reached out to stroke her face lovingly.

Lucius felt disappointed when turned his attention back to the watch a few minutes later to find that she was gone, now back in her own apartment alone – leaving Draco in his, apparently walking in circles.

He let out a groan, when would the boy get it together? Hermione was a woman of action and if he kept dancing around the issue he knew that Draco would lose her.

There was little more he could ethically do to influence their coupling and _the vow_ kept him from doing anything dark (worst luck).

Lucius just had to hope that his son could get it together long enough to demand the beautiful witch's attention – and keep it.

* * *

 **I had been missing daddy Malfoy so had to throw some in at the end. Don't worry - we will be addressing "A." soon enough - Hermione just isn't ready to deal with the other woman just yet! I don't think Draco is going to let her run away quite so easily either... ;) - stay tuned!**


	22. Stolen Secrets Part 22

**FIRST - I am sorry it took me a while to post this update. I got distracted by my Muggle for a Month story and by life in general... then had some writers block.**

 **BUT - here we are. Another chapter. I think a few of you might like what I have in store at the end of the chapter ;)**

 **Thanks for your continued support and reviews. I still love hearing from you and take your input seriously. STAY IN TOUCH.**

 **M for Adult Themes.**

 **Still down own Harry Potter.**

* * *

Hermione had taken some time off work to get her head straight. All she wanted was to be alone, with a book and without a Malfoy or a Nott in sight.

Her once clean, organized and well controlled life had been spiralling of late which was every bit as alarming as her own erratic feelings.

On the one hand she had Theo Nott. A rich, handsome, funny, well respected wizard who she was attracted to and had fun with.

On the other was Draco Malfoy, a historically self-absorbed and miserable shit with a father whose interests she had to protect or die.

Her choice should clearly be easy but somehow she just couldn't do the right thing and write Malfoy off. Admittedly, use of _Imperius_ against him had been risky and somewhat immoral, but she figured they were about even now given the amount of memory he helped himself to without her consent. He knew who he was dealing with when he challenged her. He was a big boy and would survive being honest about his feelings.

Malfoy was mostly unreadable so it had been a rare moment indeed to actually get an insight into his mind. What alarmed her more was that she liked what she heard from him. It seemed as though his innermost feelings were, she hated to admit…nice. Really nice.

Up until that point she had been confused by the electricity between them the night he washed her wounds and again in the shower. She wondered why it was she felt such a pull to such a horrid character. Could it be that somehow, deep down, she knew there was more to him? This apologetic, gentle, passionate boy who had provoked her only to get more of her time.

It shouldn't have surprised her so much given how different Lucius had been once she got to know him.

Regardless, he wasn't the safe choice. Theo was the safe choice. The right choice. Why couldn't she make it? Why couldn't she do what she knew was best for herself?

She let out a moan of frustration as she pressed a pillow to her face and rolled over in bed. _Why why why?!_

* * *

Lucius paced back and force in his office.

Hermione had seemingly disappeared from the face of the Earth this week, missing their weekly meeting and several days of work. Of course, he knew where she was. He always knew where she was. He made that his business.

Her bed, alone, is where she was. It was very unlike her and frankly he was worried.

He considered that perhaps Theodore Nott had done something to upset her but decided it was more likely to be Draco. The bloody fool.

Lucius was not one to sit idly by and let things play out. Malfoys made their own destiny. Malfoy's were not slaves to chance. He had decided long ago that Hermione Granger would be a Malfoy. She was the most exquisite witch of her generation and no one else would ever be good enough for Draco, muggle birth or not. The real question that remained to be seen was whether Draco was actually good enough for her.

What was the issue between the pair and how could he interject? Things were looking dangerously like they were not going to go his way, and that simply would not do.

Lucius Malfoy always gets his way.

* * *

Draco sat in the arm chair of his study pulling at his tie. Hermione had gone AWOL and their last interaction had him confused and not optimistic.

He really was not sure where along the way he had started to fall for her. Perhaps it was because, like him, she was not all that she seemed outwardly and in this way they were kindred. Maybe it was because she was far more intelligent than any witch he ever had. Maybe, it was just because he hadn't actually managed to have her completely and the want had driven him mad.

All he knew was that from the moment he dragged the wet towel over her battered body he had felt as though there was an invisible rope dragging him closer to her but being honest with her about how he felt did not feel good. It was probably the most embarrassing moment of his life.

He was interested in her. He was sorry. He was wrong. He had no advantage. She knew where he stood and she left. Surely that meant that she wasn't interested.

He should just settle for her having given him the forgiveness he so craved.

* * *

Draco was rudely torn from his brooding when the familiar crack of a visitor reached his ears.

His father strolled into the study like he owned it and regarded him coolly.

"Draco," he said.

"Father," he replied.

"I am here about whatever it is that you have done to Miss Granger," he said in a businesslike tone as he took the seat next to his son.

Draco simply stared at him with an impassive expression.

Lucius returned his stare with casual indifference.

Looking down at Draco's glass he asked, "Aren't you going to offer your father a drink?"

"I figured you would just take whatever you wanted," said Draco unemotionally.

"Well, that's actually why I'm here," responded Lucius.

"To take my fire whiskey? I rather thought you could afford your own father," said Draco sardonically.

"I certainly can, much finer than this garbage, but I digress, I am here to ask you why the bloody hell you have not taken what it is that YOU so obviously want?" said Lucius cryptically.

"What on earth are you on about?" snapped Draco.

"I know where Hermione is all the time you know," said Lucius casually, staring out the window.

"First of all, that's creepy. Secondly, what has that got to do with anything?" asked Malfoy, annoyed with his father's presence.

"I mean that I saw you two were together in the shower that night. I saw she was in your bedroom all night after. I saw her in your office the other day…I know she's been upset. She hasn't left bed in days. I am by no means a genius Draco but it doesn't take much of one to make the connection," he said accusingly.

"Well father, since you are now a great detective, how about you tell me what's going on?" asked Malfoy sarcastically.

"Draco, I have no time for games. I am a busy man and frankly I am bored by you. By some stroke of luck, Hermione clearly saw enough in you to spend the night with you," he said, lurching forward and pulling the ornate pocket watch from his robes.

"See this?" he asked, shoving it into his sons face. "There she is, in bed…where she's been for days. I don't know what you did. I don't know why you did it, but I know YOU did this. Hermione is not some snivelling little witch who will pine at your door and give you chance after chance. She doesn't give a fuck about your name, your money or your good looks, all of which you can thank me for by the way," lectured Lucius in an arrogant tone that made Draco's skin crawl.

"If you want her. You need to go get her. Immediately. Hermione is exceptionally rare and a woman such as her will exist for you only once in a life time. If you wish to sit in this study, lying to yourself and screwing your life up, so be it – but you're a bigger fool than I ever thought you to be if that's the case," he said, slamming his glass onto the marble side table.

He stood abruptly, and with a swish of his robes, he was gone.

* * *

Lucius was on fire. He and Draco rarely spoke openly or with such frankness and it felt good to let out some frustration.

He decided to continue his streak to Hermione's apartment. Draco or no Draco, she needed to get out of bed. They had things to achieve together and that was not going to happen with her moping in bed and avoiding all responsibility.

Storming into her room and pulling the sheets from her he glared at her with all of the intensity he could muster.

"Merlin Lucius what in the hell do you think you're doing?" she screamed, scrambling to cover herself.

"Get up and get it together Hermione," he yelled. "Like it or not we are in this together, we have things to do!"

She whimpered and pulled back at the sheets. It was a sight he was entirely unprepared for.

Although they had a close friendship, she had always seemed strong and in control. She was a warrior even in her weaker moments.

The girl whimpering in her bed was not a sight he was used to. He had no desire to become accustomed to it either.

"I don't know what my son has done Hermione…but I assure you it's not worth it," he said gently, sitting at the foot of the bed.

She wouldn't look at him, but she did speak.

"I don't know why…" she whispered, pressing her face into the pillow.

"You don't know why what?" he asked patiently.

"Why it is I am drawn to your son," she responded.

A smirk crossed the older Malfoy's lips.

"I think you do Hermione," he pressed.

"What do you mean?" she snapped.

"You know why you're drawn to him," he persisted.

"How about you enlighten me then?" she challenged.

"Well aside from his impeccable Malfoy looks," he said arrogantly, flicking his white blonde hair, "He's intelligent, moody, and seemingly unattainable… if witch weekly is to be believed…. A hell of a lover…" he teased.

Hermione finally gave him eye contact in order to shoot him a death stare. Ah, there she is, he thought to himself.

Pleased with his efforts he continued. "He knows all about your dark side, which is just... spectacular… by the way, you are an artist of cruelty when pushed," he mused.

"That's not helping," said Hermione, uncomfortable with his unwavering gaze.

He rose abruptly and stalked towards her. Hermione froze. She knew he couldn't hurt her… wouldn't hurt her… would he?

He sat down at her side and dropped his head down to whisper in her ear, grazing her cheek with his lips as he did so. She felt a shiver of electricity run through her veins, much like the ones she got from Draco.

"You're drawn to him as you're drawn to me, and as I am drawn to you," he hissed. He felt her move to get away but forced her down with one hand.

"You will listen to me Hermione," he said in a tone as menacing as it was delicate.

He gently stroked her hair as he continued. "You're drawn to him because he's unlike other wizards, as all Malfoy's are. He's rare. Like you. Like me. He would give you the world, and I think he wants to, and you know it… if you're afraid and that's why you are in this bed, you disappoint me…. I never took you to be a coward," he continued, his breath against her ear making her shudder.

She couldn't see his face but she felt him smirk against her. Hermione was in stunned silence, her body limp.

"I am not a coward Lucius," she managed to spit.

"Then get up," he demanded.

"How would I do that with you manhandling me so?" she hit back.

"I think I might keep you here a moment longer," he said absentmindedly, knowing he was in dangerous territory as he stroked the curve of her hip ever so slightly.

"Lucius…" breathed Hermione, her tone filled with warning.

"I never pretended to be a good man Hermione. What is it you said to me the day we made our little deal? You were 'getting into bed with the devil,' as the muggles say" he said laughing, "now here you are, quite literally."

She exhaled with frustration.

"Now what is it you think I am going to do here Hermione?" he asked, delighting in her apprehension and fear. He wasn't going to push her too far but the girl did _Crucio_ him once. Lucius figured she deserved to be toyed with. Plus, he probably wouldn't get the opportunity to be so close to her again.

He raised his head slightly so that he could get eye contact with her. She looked at him with a wild expression that set his core on fire.

"I don't think you're going to do anything Lucius, given you don't wish to die by the vow," she said, her tone was calm but her expression gave away just how livid she was with him. It reminded him of the look she had given him that day in the woods, when he first realized just how exceptional she was.

He smiled. "Of course not darling," he said, a serene expression creeping onto his attractive face.

Hermione never failed to be stunned by how quickly his moods could change from murderous to gentle. He felt her relax beneath him.

"You frustrate me ever so much lioness," he purred.

She raised an eyebrow. "What's happening right now seems strange Lucius," she said frankly, regaining her composure.

"Everything about our relationship is strange, you need to get out of your own head," he said, straightening her night dress absentmindedly.

"I'm not a coward," she said matter-of-factly, returning to his earlier accusation.

"If not a coward, what then?" he challenged, refusing to let go of her body. He noticed she did not struggle. He knew she could call her wand. He knew she could put up a hell of a fight if she wanted.

No, she wasn't beaten, she was submitting willingly and he loved it.

"Smart," she replied.

"Smart…" he repeated, somewhat confused by her answer.

"It goes one of two ways Lucius. Draco and I sleep together, perhaps we do it for a while, it fizzles or someone angers someone else. I am bound to his father by the vow forever. We work in the same building. It will be awkward for the rest of our days. Alternatively, we fall in love. What then? I destroy the Malfoy bloodline and give you disgusting mudblooded grandchildren?" she spat, "The vow would strike me down before that day ever came," she finished.

Lucius's eyes widened. That was what this was about? She thought he wouldn't think it was in HIS interests? That she wasn't good enough for HIS family? That the vow would end her for shaming the Malfoy name with her blood.

A moment later his horror turned into amusement and he began to laugh.

He felt her hand fly up to slap him but he caught her in time. Though she was an immensely powerful witch, as a woman she was petite and no match for the older, stronger wizard.

"Hermione, the Malfoy family would be so lucky as to have you. I couldn't give two shits about the blood status of any heirs I may have. I want my son to be happy and marry a witch WORTHY of the Malfoy name. No one, is as worthy or exquisite as you my dear," he said softly.

"Plus," he added, "I would have thought you would have been smart enough to realise we put a caveat on the vow. Only legitimate interests are counted. Blood discrimination isn't legitimate. You've spent years harping on to me about it… why would it matter if I didn't want you with my son?… which by the way… I do."

Had she been so distracted that she had forgotten how to use her brain? Of course he was right. The vow wouldn't hold her to something like that.

Infuriatingly, he had a habit of being right and today was no exception.

"So what now?" she asked, meeting his intense gaze with one of her own.

"I've told my son to get his act together. Malfoy's take what they want," he said flippantly.

Hermione snorted, "he will do no such thing," she said, amused.

"You'll see," he said ominously, "if he stops being such a stubborn idiot, he'll come for you and you won't have much of a chance, he's got his father in him," he said, smirking.

"Who said he's being stupid… I used an unforgiveable and a banned substance against him when we last spoke…" she admitted, biting her lip.

"So my son is the innocent party here?" asked Lucius, in disbelief.

"Oh, he is not entirely blameless," she responded.

"I am sure a…" he trailed off as he looked at her enticing body clad in her revealing night dress, "bright…witch like you could think of a way to make him forget all about that," he said with a mischievous grin.

She rolled her eyes and shifted uncomfortably. Lucius had a wife and she was interested in his son. They needed to get out of this position and fast before they did something they would regret. He wasn't wrong when he spoke of their attraction to each other earlier.

As if sensing her thoughts he leaned down to whisper in her ear again.

"I am going to leave before this devolves, but before I do, I am going to prove to you that Malfoy's can simply take what they want, for example, right now, I want something from you, and I am going to take it," he breathed.

As she opened her mouth to ask what he meant by that he turned his head and covered her lips with his.

* * *

 **Lucius has been a bad boy - will Hermione reciprocate? R &R - see you next time. **


	23. Stolen Secrets Part 23

**Evidently the last chapter was a little controversial (as expected). Thanks for your thoughts. You will be pleased to know I agree with the general consensus amount the readers who commented and I won't do anything that will ruin Dramione. Please R &R :) **

**M for Adult Content.**

 **I don't own Harry Potter.**

* * *

Hermione Kissed Lucius back with fervour, seemingly giving in to a primal desire to conquer the distinguished wizard. Lucius was unsurprised by the expert way she pressed her body into him and used her mouth to make his beg for more.

That said, he knew the feel of a woman whose heart belonged elsewhere. Although she gave him so much in her unyielding kisses, she was holding something back. That something was for Draco, the one she really wanted. The thought pleased him to no end.

He smirked against her lips as he got a feel of her delightful behind. _Oh to be young again_ , he thought absentmindedly. He knew any moment she would pull away in horror, realising finally that she couldn't hide from her obvious hang up on his son.

In the meantime though, it didn't hurt to trace the outline of her heaving breasts in the nightdress she wore which Lucius thought had to have been specifically designed for the torture of men. He knew he could never have her completely, she would never allow it, and as dark as he was, he knew that having her completely was an honour fated to his son.

This for Lucius of course, was all a part of a larger game. The end game to have the beautiful witch below him wear the family name, not as his, but as his sons blushing bride.

The Malfoy family depended on this union. More than he would ever care to admit to his son or Hermione. No, the prophecy was going to remain between himself and Narcissa until the end of their days if he could help it.

Draco was screwing it up and Hermione wasn't much better and he knew he needed to do something drastic to push the young lovers together. To push Hermione as hard as he could towards Draco. He was a Malfoy after all, and Malfoy's were the masters of their own destiny.

As predicted, after a few minutes of heavy petting, she drew back from him with wide eyed and horrified eyes.

He took this as his cue to stand. Straightening his robes he flashed her his trademark Malfoy glare.

"If you want something, or SOMEONE, you should take it regardless of the consequences. I thought it was better to show you rather than tell you. You're a smart witch Hermione. The brightest in an age. Start acting like it," he said as he turned to leave.

She sat in stunned silence.

"My son is in his apartment right now…" he said through a smirk, "if you care to know," he finished. A loud crack pierced the air and with that, he was gone.

* * *

Lucius arrived back at Malfoy Manor feeling triumphant.

He couldn't wait to tell Narcissa about what he had done. After all, it had been one of her suggestions earlier in the week but it was he who wasn't sure he had the gumption to go through with it.

Of course, to the outside world she looked like the ever doting wife and mother. A trophy to the Malfoy empire with no real power or thoughts of her own.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Lucius Malfoy had no time for airheaded, gold-digging witches. He never did. He loved his wife because she was beautiful, cunning and devious. He considered them to be two in the same.

A few years ago he had heard the phrase that 'behind every great man is a great woman,' and he recalled vividly smiling to himself about the truth of the sentiment.

She adored his ruthless commitment to the Malfoy name and he couldn't wait to collect his reward for doing her bidding so well today.

Most wives would be horrified that he had kissed the younger witch, but not Narcissa. He did it to get what they both wanted for the family and to her, nothing would be a greater turn on.

He smiled stupidly to himself as he walked towards the bedroom. He had given the house elves the night off on the way up.

Hermione had him worked up and he wanted complete privacy to have his way with his wife all over the manor that night.

* * *

Draco was sure that Lucius felt quite pleased with himself after the display in his study. Little did he know, Draco just let him think that he was in charge of the exchange.

It had become apparent to the younger Malfoy that his father had too much of an interest in his relationship with Hermione for it to be a simple matter of friendship, or thinking she would be a nice companion for his son.

No, he knew from the aggressive way in which he advocated for the pairing that he had some other interest in the relationship. He thought his father's interest might lie with his evident attraction to Granger, but with Lucius Malfoy it could be anything.

With this in mind, he had played the part of the stubborn idiot son in order to destract Lucius from using his oldest trick to get the information he so desired.

Years of practice with Zabini had honed his skills in the art of memory theft.

He hoped his father, being less book savvy than Hermione, had left his memory largely un-tampered and perhaps he would gain the answers he was looking for in the pensive in front of him.

* * *

 _Lucius and Narcissa stood before the shining orb in the basement of Malfoy Manor._

 _Their nervousness was evident as they joined hands and began to chant an incantation that caused the orb to seemingly come to life._

 _All of a sudden a bright light drenched the room and a woman's voice rang clearly through the mansion._

 ** _"The Malfoy family have prospered as a part of the sacred twenty-eight,_**

 ** _But only the golden one may save the Malfoy name from its fate."_**

 _With this, the bright light projected a heavenly image of Hermione to every surface of the room._

 _"It could be worse…" said Lucius after a few moments, calm but obviously shocked._

 _"She's not a pureblood," remarked Narcissa._

 _"No but she's the brightest witch of the age. Accomplished in her own right. Respected and in some circles feared… after all, you've seen what she can be capable of…" suggested Lucius with a smirk._

 _"I suppose you're right darling," conceded Narcissa._

 _"She's taken the vow but I can't use it against her to manipulate such a union without risking violating it myself…" mused Lucius._

 _Narcissa gently stroked her husband's forearm and smiled knowingly._

 _"We should do nothing," she said._

 _"Nothing?" asked Lucius._

 _"Let the fates bring them together and let them make their own minds up. If we need to intervene, we can do so later, but a prophecy such as this would not exist if they were not somehow fated to be, so why not let time do the work for us," stated Narcissa._

 _"And Ron Weasley?" asked Lucius._

 _"He won't be enough of a challenge for a witch such as her, it would have been like Draco marrying the Parkinson girl, it'll never work out," she said._

 _"You would risk our name on this?" asked Lucius incredulously._

 _"Not quite," she responded with a wicked grin, "keep her close."_

* * *

Draco pulled his head from the pensive and paced the apartment.

Of course his parents had a creepy prophecy in their creepy mansion about their creepy ancient family. Of course it somehow involved interfering with his life and autonomy. _Typical Malfoy shite_ , he thought angrily.

Truthfully, he could think of a far worse fate than being destined to be with Hermione Granger. Aside from her blood status there was literally nothing wrong with her, and truthfully he had given up on the blood purity ideal years ago.

He wondered why it was that the ongoing success of the line depended on him but concluded that instead of worrying about that he needed to focus on the more pressing issue.

Although he couldn't give two fucks about the ongoing success of the family name, a name he felt was permanently tarnished anyway by their prior association with Voldemort, he did care about Hermione. She saw him for who he was and accepted him, something that no woman had done before. She had depth and dimension, power and empathy, a refreshing change from the hollow, power drunk people he grew up around.

His previous relationships had been shallow and no woman had ever set him on fire the way she had, and they'd not even slept together yet. He couldn't even begin to imagine how good that was going to be.

He wanted her, and if it fit with his family's agenda, even better.

He was tired of being two steps behind everyone in this game. He was Draco Malfoy. He would win her back on his own terms, without listening too much to his father's admittedly sound advice.

He was not going to wait around and let Theo fucking Nott take the woman he desired. Draco had every intention of taking charge of the situation. Being two steps ahead than her for once. Outmaneuvering both her and his father.

Or at least, that was the plan until a frazzled looking, night gown clad Hermione Granger appeared in his apartment with an almighty crack and a determined look in her eye.


	24. Stolen Secrets Part 24

**Thanks for your reviews guys. I have taken loads of it into account with this chapter.**

 **I hope you note the few nods I have given to the similarities between father and son's thinking and also the reference I make towards the end regarding the shower scene.. which I had so much fun writing many chapters ago. Perhaps I should revisit that huh?**

 **M for Mature Content**

 **HP still does not belong to me, no mater how many years I birthday wish it to be so!**

 **Anyway...From where we left off….**

* * *

 _Or at least, that was the plan until a frazzled looking, night gown clad Hermione Granger appeared in his apartment with an almighty crack and a determined look in her eye..._

He sized her up. She was red faced with bed hair, swollen lips and a nightgown that did things for her figure to make her so alluring he thought it was almost cruel. What man actually stood a chance against her looking like… that?

"What the fuck Hermione?" he asked, puzzled by the whole bizarre experience that had been the past few hours.

"I ah… I just came here… I… didn't think this through," she stuttered.

He smirked. Finally! Miss perfect had relinquished some control. He could work with this. She was frazzled and he was cool, calm and collected. The universe had returned to some semblance of its natural order.

"I should go," she squeaked, looking like she was going to disappear at any moment.

Draco stalked towards her without missing a beat. He was lightning on his feet when he needed to be. Years as a seeker did wonders for his agility.

Grabbing her by the arm he looked into her big brown eyes, which held an expression he couldn't quite make out. She barely struggled as he anchored her to the spot.

"Not dressed like that you don't" he purred into her ear. He felt her stiffen. _Interesting_ , he thought to himself as he circled her like a predator in the wild.

"Very interesting lioness," he said, looking at her curiously.

She gulped loudly. He was loving this.

"Where have you been Hermione?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

His suspicion involved Theo Nott. He was not at all happy with the thought but the fact she had turned up there so abruptly, and dressed like...that... gave him cause for hope. He silently wished she hadn't gone through with it, though he had already resolved to remain outwardly indifferent if she had.

"I..ah..Merlin, I did NOT think this through," she said, wrapping her arms around herself subconsciously.

He wondered what in the hell had gotten her so flustered. Draco had never, in all of the years he had known her, seen her so distressed – and that included the time she got tortured by his Aunt as a teenager.

"Start talking Hermione," he demanded, giving her his best cold look.

She appeared to calm herself, strutting to the couch in her infuriating nightdress and taking a seat. She cleared her throat with a decisiveness he recognised, her breathing steadied, and she opened her mouth to speak.

What she said next had him floored.

* * *

"I've come from my apartment. Your father was there. He kissed me," she said matter-of-factly, though her body language told him she didn't feel so nonchalant about it.

"He WHAT?" yelled Draco. Hermione flinched at both the volume and venom of his question.

"Your father came to my apartment – and he kissed me," she repeated.

She was not about to falter underneath his intimidation. She had been through worse than he could inflict upon her. That said, she felt instinctively for her wand, which she had strapped to her leg before leaving the apartment. Admittedly, she probably should have chosen a better outfit for the confrontation.

Draco appeared to notice what she was doing and reached for his own wand also. He then began to stare her down with an expressiveness in his face than she had ever seen from the ordinarily calm and collected wizard.

She had never seen this kind of unbridled anger in him. Not even towards Harry when they were sworn enemies.

He stared her down with such intensity she had no idea what was going to happen. Her fingers tightened around the wand.

Truthfully, she wasn't sure what she was going to say to him. How she could explain herself.

All she knew was that she always tried to be honest with those she cared about, and when it was the right thing to do. Lying to Draco about this would have been wrong, and therefore, when she arrived and she saw him, she had to tell the truth. Even if he would never touch her again. She couldn't blame him if that were the case.

"Why?" he asked her, the artificially calm tone of his voice barely covering the simmering rage.

"I don't know," she said, refusing to meet his eyes again.

"A smart witch like you Hermione, should know better than to plead ignorance with me," he responded coolly.

She gathered her strength and met his irate glare.

"He was teaching me a lesson," she finally responded.

"And what might that be? Incestuous Freudian relationships?" he probed.

"I didn't think you read muggle literature Draco," she hit back, resentful at his condescending tone. She knew she was in the wrong but she wasn't about to let him steamroll her either.

"I read many things Hermione," he said casually, placing his wand down deliberately in her line of sight.

She responded by removing hers and placing it on the table beside the couch. She was relieved they were no longer armed.

She knew he could summon his wand quickly enough, as could she, but this action made it clear that neither party had any intention of doing so. She was grateful for his gesture.

"He was trying to suggest that I was being a coward in not pursuing you," she ventured.

"By kissing you?" he scoffed.

"You know your father is not… traditional… in his methods," she said, not wanting to betray Lucius too much. She knew the man well enough to know in his own way he had her interests at heart, and Draco's. As much as her loyalty to him pained her, it existed no matter what.

"You mean he's a sick and twisted bastard," replied Draco bitterly.

"I think he had his reasons…" she offered.

Draco laughed loudly. "What? Your tits look phenomenal in that nightgown?" he snapped.

"I suppose I deserved that," she conceded, feeling her heart sink.

He was never going to forgive her. She had to face this and think about moving on.

Reluctantly moving on was the theme of her life so far. Hoping things would improve but feeling isolated at the end of every unsatisfying cycle in her life. Not that she wanted to dwell too much on that right now.

She deserved the verbal assault he was no doubt preparing to lay on her and she owed it to him to take it on the chin with grace.

She heard him slam his hand against one of the walls which dragged her out of her stormy thoughts.

"I don't have an excuse Draco," she shouted over the sound of household items crashing around the room. "I was caught off guard, I was vulnerable after what happened with you… I'll admit I was a little curious. It wasn't going to go any further. I NEVER would have let it continue," she explained.

He snapped around and towered over her as she sank into the couch with her hands over her face.

"Look at me Granger," he snapped.

She refused.

He pulled her hands from her face. "LOOK. AT. ME," he insisted dangerously.

She obliged reluctantly.

His stormy grey eyes were cold, unyielding. The way they looked when they were much younger. Ruthless.

"Who pulled away, you or him?" he asked, his eyes boring into her.

"Me," she answered honestly.

He nodded, accepting her answer.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.

"Somewhat, for a moment," she answered honestly.

He was furious, but impressed with her candour.

"Did you stop because of me?" he asked.

"Yes" she replied, staring into his eyes with all of the strength she could muster. He had to know she was telling the truth about that.

He stepped back and then sat next to her on the couch, taking both of her hands in his.

"Why did you come here?" he asked her, gently stroking the palms of her hands with his long fingers. His tone was hard, but his body language had changed.

"I don't know, he said you were here and I felt like I had to see you, I wanted to come before but I… I didn't know what to say to you after what happened last time," she responded.

He nodded.

"Draco?" she asked.

"Why is your father so obsessed with our relationship?"

* * *

She really was a bright witch. She too had clearly come to the same conclusion as Draco. Lucius was far too invested in their relationship. There had to be a reason the generally selfish wizard was so suddenly concerned with the health of their love life.

Draco respected the fact that he didn't need to dump _Veritaserum_ down her throat to get the truth out of her, though he felt guilty she had to do that to him to get an honest answer out of him when the roles were reversed.

He decided in that moment that he was going to forgive her, though he wasn't about to touch her after his father had his filthy hands all over her. He was just grateful it didn't go further. He could not have recovered from THAT.

He gently pulled her up by the arms and walked her towards the bathroom. She looked confused but followed him trustingly.

She looked like to Draco like a fallen angel. Her ethereal beauty tarnished by sadness. He was furious at his father for allowing her to feel so debased. For MAKING her feel that way.

Lucius's strategy was obvious. He demeaned her so she would drop her guard and run back to Draco.

The younger Malfoy may have wanted her, but not at any at the expense of her feelings. Her self-respect. Her pride. His father made her feel like a whore – and that is not what she was.

He knew full well the manipulative power of Lucius Malfoy. The girl barely stood a chance. Malfoy himself had similar powers, but tried not to use it too much, at least, not to get his way with women. Something about that didn't sit well with him. He just wasn't as morally bankrupt as his father, making him a source of constant disappointment to the Malfoy family.

He noticed that silent tears had started to fall down her rosy cheeks. Shamefully, her appearance aroused him. He tried to put that from his mind as he guided her towards his large stone vanity.

He started by wiping the tears from her eyes. Then he poured mouthwash into a glass and handed it to her.

"Draco… what are you doing?" she asked cautiously.

"We're erasing him," he responded matter-of-factly. Surely she was smart enough to understand symbolism? They needed this.

She obliged him and washed her mouth out, spitting the minty liquid into the sink when she was done. He washed it down and turned his attention back to her.

He wet a face washer with warm water and wiped her mouth slowly, like one would care for a child. She looked at him with curiosity. He was behaving so strangely.

Satisfied, he took her hand and led her back to the couch. She sat down and looked at him expectantly. He couldn't help but feel slightly amused. She was looking at him like he was a foreign creature. She had no idea what he was going to do next, it was written all over her face.

"You didn't answer my question," she said, breaking the growing silence.

"Well, simply, my dear, you're meant to save the Malfoy name," he responded.

"From what," she asked incredulously.

"Me, I think," he responded bluntly.

"Oh…" she said, still confused.

"It doesn't matter," he continued.

"Why?" she asked, "it seems like the sort of thing that matters…" she continued.

He chucked softly, "I suppose it rather does," he said, brushing a stray lock of her wild hair behind her ear.

He looked at her longingly, trying not to lose his head.

"I'm going to take you home now," he said gently.

'Oh…okay," she said half-heartedly.

He left her in her living room.

He almost wanted to stay. She looked so dejected it made his heart hurt.

That said, he had business to attend to. He was going to tell his father where to shove his prophecy.

* * *

Half an hour later several rooms of Malfoy Manor were destroyed. Draco had taken every ounce of frustration he had out on a number of family heirlooms as his father blocked himself from his numerous hexes.

"You sick bastard," he screamed.

"I did it for this family Draco," his father shouted back as he dodged a jagged piece of glass from a recently smashed window that Draco had charmed to chase him.

"You did it for yourself you selfish piece of shit," he snapped back, refusing to back down on his assault. His mother stood at the top of the stairs with an impassive expression on her face.

Draco figured she was somehow involved, or she too would have been trying to castrate the man with the nearest sharp object.

Regardless, she wasn't the one to violate the object of his desire so as far as he was concerned she could stay on the staircase and pout at her ruined house.

"One day, you'll understand Draco," said his father, managing to throw a solid blocking spell out to prevent the attack of the glass shards.

"Oh piss off father with your self-serving bullshit. There were a million other ways you could drive her towards me because of that stupid fucking prophecy," said the younger Malfoy.

Lucius froze, "How do you know about that?" he snapped, eyes narrowed.

"I'm not quite the oblivious fool you think you raised father," he responded contemptuously.

"Is that so?" said Lucius, reluctantly impressed by his son's uncovering of the truth.

"Stay the fuck away from my…my... just stay the fuck away from Hermione okay!" said Draco in a low and ominous tone before trashing his father's prized chandelier and disappearing back to Hermione's flat.

* * *

Narcissa Malfoy climbed down the stairs with a smirk on her beautiful face.

She climbed across the debris left by her son and pressed herself into her husband.

"You did a wonderful job my darling," she purred.

"I really didn't think he had it in him," he responded incredulously.

"Oh, he takes after his father. Jealous and possessive. A mother knows," she said, smiling softly as she kissed his cheek.

He chuckled manically as he picked her up and dropped her down on the sideboard, one of the few pieces of furniture that survived Draco's assault on that part of the Manor.

She moaned as he hitched up her expensive silk night dress and proceeded to take her again amongst the debris, for the second, but not final time that night.

"You are so devious my Queen," he whispered against her lips. She smiled and gave him a devilish look.

They were twisted. But they were in love.

His wife was made for him. It was a marvelous thing, he thought to himself before he went blind with pleasure.

* * *

Draco found Hermione trying (with much frustration) to remove the lid of a coffee jar in her kitchen when he returned.

She hadn't heard his arrival as he came through another room and she was too lost in her own thoughts to pay much attention to anything.

Why did he leave? Would he come back? Had she ruined everything? Why did she care so much what Draco bloody Malfoy thought anyway?

She had reached a begrudging level of acceptance before she became aware of his strong presence directly behind her.

Her hair stood on end, much as it had in the shower with him in what felt like an eternity ago.

She felt a delicate hand sweep her hair away from her neck. She froze, her hands still firmly tightened around the coffee jar. His entire body was now pressed into her from behind, he left no space between them.

She felt his hot breath against her ear, sending shivers of delight coursing through her body as he asked her a vaguely familiar question.

"Can you do that on your own?" he asked, placing his hands over hers on the jar.

"Yes," she replied breathily.

"Do you want to?" he said huskily, his lips now grazing her earlobe.

"No," she replied throatily, as she felt an explosion of butterflies in her stomach.

She felt his hands tighten against her small waist, pressing the silk against her soft skin.

Having given him all the invitation he needed, he turned her head to the side towards his own, looked into her eyes, and planted a single, sensuous kiss onto her supple lips.

* * *

 **So… that's it for now folks. Please review and let me know what you think and what you would like next from our favourite lovebirds! I have a destination in mind but I am making up the journey as I go.**

 **Also - a few of you remarked that I left you hanging last time, I know and I'm sorry. I am also sorry I have done it YET again with this one.**


	25. Stolen Secrets Part 25

**Wow, thanks for all the reviews guys! You are a twisted bunch, especially those "guest" reviewers. Don't worry though – I love you all.**

 **A few quick explanations and comments based on your feedback:**

\- So **not wrong** to love Lucius and Narcissa even though they are twisted and a bit mad. Come on, there's a reason DarkFics are so damn popular!

\- **What happened to Theo?.**.. oh, he's around.

- **Will she confront Lucius?** Yes, next chapter for sure

\- **Can there be another scene with Lucius and Hermione with no real world consequences** **(ala – sexy dream, polyjuice potion)?**... I am not opposed to this. A few of you raised it and I would like to throw this to you guys to decide. **Cast your votes on that.** FYI (I probably would do the dream). We are all team Draco but more than a few of you think Lumione is hot too.

\- **There are some naughty people out there wanting Lucius to watch Draco and Hermione**. I mean... come on ya' sickos. Just kidding. That would be a twisted and hot scenario that's not out of character for my Lucius. I could definitely write it in somehow but **I want to get some more feedback before committing to that.**

\- **Did Lucius or Narcissa think of Draco or Hermione's feelings?** No. That's not really in their character. They care more about the end game. The end rather than the means. Also, **Narcissa is pretty twisted. After all, her sister is Bellatrix… how could she be totally normal?**

- **EVERYONE'S OBVIOUS DESIRE FOR ME TO WRITE SMUT**. I am actually amazed I made it this far without really doing that though to be honest.

So with that in mind. I have written **for your reading pleasure, almost 3000 words of Dramione smut.** I feel like I owed them a good time after so many chapters keeping them apart.

I tried to keep this somewhat ***** classy and avoid anything TOO explicit because I really like this story and don't want someone to get it taken down. Though I might be pushing the limits of that in a few spots.

 **This is rated M for Adult content. SERIOUSLY ADULT CONTENT. If you don't like – don't read. If you shouldn't be reading this… don't.**

I don't own HP.

 **** if smut is not for you, skip this chapter and resume at the next one, it will go back to more like how it's been. The summary of this chapter is - everyone gets it on and it's hot.**

Enjoy your smut perverts - no judgment… I'm writing this after all ;)

* * *

After enjoying his sweet kisses for a few moments she pulled back but kept her head turned to face him. Gently she lifted her hand to stroke his cheek.

"How can you forgive me?" she asked sincerely, still feeling worse than terrible about what had transpired between herself and Lucius.

"It's remarkably easy as it goes," he responded casually, nuzzling her hand and keeping both hands firmly planted around her hourglass waist.

She cast her eyes down and mumbled, "I don't understand."

He used his hand to lift her chin and stared into her big brown eyes.

"How many things have you forgiven me for Hermione? Spending years calling you a mudblood and conspiring with my father and the dark lord to eradicate you and people like you? To attack your friends? For doing nothing as my disgusting family tortured you in my own house? For stealing your memories and thinking it was a game? Yet you forgave me," he said gently, placing a kiss on her forehead before continuing.

"I know that forgiving is not really something people think I am, and I'm not...But if one kiss is the only wrong you have ever committed against me in the face of all I have done to you, I have no right to hold it over you...but don't do it again," he said darkly, dragging his lips down the side of her cheek.

She exhaled loudly and allowed herself to melt into him. Finally, she understood, and it made her care for him more.

She was glad she had chosen to be honest. She had too many secrets in this life and it felt good to be with someone who saw her as she was and accepted her anyway.

She wasn't _perfect._

She wasn't _Gryffindor's golden princess._

She wasn't _beyond reproach._

She was flawed just like everyone else, but for some reason he was one of the special few who saw that and liked her anyway. She felt like her heart grew in that moment, but relief soon grew into something else entirely as she felt him snake his arm around her back and lift her from the floor.

* * *

She giggled as he carried her like a paper doll into her room and threw her down on the bed.

"I've wanted this for a while," he breathed as he crawled on top of her.

Hermione but her lip and squirmed under the weight of him. She looked up at him with eyes that invited him to do dark things with her and it took all of his willpower not to have her on the spot with little regard for anything else…but he wasn't going to do that this time.

No, Draco knew that there was only one first time with someone. He needed to take his time. He needed to be deliberate and measured. He could do that. He was good at that.

"Too long," she said breathily, tugging at his shirt.

Draco groaned.

"You're killing me lioness," he moaned as he kneeled over her and raised his arms so she could rise and remove his shirt. She smiled wickedly as she threw it across the room.

"How so?" she giggled as she began to trail languid kisses down his neck. He put his hands either side of her head and lifted her face to meet his.

"If you keep pushing me I won't be able to control myself," he said seriously, looking into her lust filled eyes with equal passion.

"What if I don't want you to?" she asked provocatively as she rose to her knees so they were facing each other, kneeling on the bed.

He growled as he slid his hand behind the back of her head and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her head backwards and causing her to arch her back and bring her neck forward. Her chest strained against her flimsy black nightgown. She made a sharp intake of breath as he began to kiss, suck and lick at her neck.

"Fuck it," he muttered against her skin as he tore at the nightgown, ripping the straps and causing it to slide down her body. She moaned at the feeling of the silk sliding down her skin. All the while he continued his assault on her neck and senses, using his tight grip on her hair to keep her in place.

"Draco that was expensive," she scolded, though not feeling like she had much authority at this particular moment.

"I'll buy you five more," he purred as he made his way slowly and torturously along her collar bone.

"Money doesn't solve everything you know," she said cheekily, enjoying being mischievous.

"Stop being naughty when I'm trying to ravish you," he growled, using his free hand to slap her shapely behind. She squeaked delightedly.

"Who uses the word 'ravish,' Draco Malfoy?" she teased, unperturbed by his dominant stance over her.

"You're really testing me here Hermione," he warned, finally turning his attention to her magnificent bare chest.

"You love it," she responded.

He could hear her smirk, despite the fact that he was still holding her to attention, her face directed to the ceiling.

"I do," he smiled as he began to alternate between kissing and kneading her breasts with his free hand. He yearned to be inside of her but he had sworn to himself he would take his time. Or at least, SOME time with this.

Meanwhile, Hermione felt intoxicated by him. She felt her womb flutter as he bit her gently, feasting on her exposed chest. She knew she should probably feel vulnerable, but somehow she knew he was only going to take her somewhere she wanted to go.

Slowly he tore himself away from her faultless globes and lifted his face to meet hers again, lavishing her body with kisses on his way back up. Hermione moaned softly which made his manhood throb.

He carefully untangled his hand from her hair and let her free. She dropped her face to meet his and leaned in to explore his mouth some more with her own.

She felt like she was on fire, their kisses were all consuming. She had no time to wonder how he might have felt about it because she was too caught up in the moment with him for even a moment of self-consciousness.

She flashed him a devious look as she began to trail kisses from his neck down his chest. He made no move to stop her as he liked where it was going.

"You know," she said, her lips still on his hard stomach, "I think I might know how to say sorry for earlier," she purred seductively.

"Don't tease me," he said, his swollen manhood straining against the confines of his dress pants.

"I am hardly teasing you Draco," she said, licking the skin above the waistline of his trousers.

She had dropped her stance to kneel before him as she quickly removed his belt and threw it somewhere on the floor to join his shirt. Her own torn nightgown was still clinging to her body, hanging around her waist.

Draco looked down on her and thought it might have been the most erotic sight he had ever seen.

She pulled his trousers down to his knees and licked her lips at the sight of him.

She had heard rumours over the years about the size of his…wand... so to speak… and for once it appeared that the gossip had not been exaggerated. She could not have been more delighted by the revelation.

* * *

He was certain his eyes rolled back into his head at the feel of her wet mouth encircling him. He wondered how the hell she got to be so good with her mouth, then immediately regretted that line of thinking.

She was a perfect vision on her knees before him, legs spread, mouth open. He had to stop her before it went too far. Historically he had plenty of stamina and restraint, but clearly that was not going to be the case with her. She was too much for him.

She was like a living fantasy. He reckoned that he had always fantasized about her, long before he even knew it was her he was dreaming of.

Gently, he took her hair and pulled her up to plunder her mouth with his tongue. He pushed her back onto the bed with the intention to return the favour.

She attempted to remove the remnants of her torn night gown but he insisted she should leave it on. He liked the disheveled look of the beautiful witch and wanted to keep her as she was.

He skimmed his hands underneath the barely there piece of silk and slid down her panties and tossed them away. He then ran his hands from her knees up her inner thighs, parting her legs as he did so.

He could see that she was ready for him, her sweet nectar dripping from her entrance. She arched her back as he began to explore her with his mouth, marveling at the fact that she somehow tasted better than his wildest fantasies.

She moaned as he pinned her legs with his arms so he could worship her without the interruption of her squirming beneath him.

He could feel her tightening as he expertly used his mouth and fingers to drive her to the brink, but he refused to let her go over the edge without being inside of her.

Reluctantly, he sat up and smirked at the disappointed look on her face. Her disappointment was soon replaced with delight as he lined himself up at the junction between her thighs and plunged into her with one swift movement.

She let out a sweet moan as he spread her legs even further so he could invade her to the hilt. Draco felt like he had died and gone to heaven. Hermione didn't know what she felt, other than absolute pleasure.

He leaned down to kiss her passionately, trying not to succumb to his desire to plunder her relentlessly. Hermione clearly had other ideas though, as she began to rise to meet his thrusts more frantically.

He gave in to her demand and began to make love to her more aggressively, delighting in the view of her from above, taking him completely, her chest glistening with sweat as it bounced.

He stayed like this for a time, watching her as her whimpers became screams of pleasure under his persistent thrusts.

He felt her tighten as she reached her peak. Hermione leaned up and pulled at his neck to bring his face down to her. She wrapped her legs around him and kissed him with more passion than any witch had ever gifted him with.

She moaned into his mouth as she fell over the edge into a blissful release. He moved slowly to ride it out with her and when he was sure she was finished, he let himself explode inside of her as she nibbled his earlobe, her legs still tightly around his waist.

* * *

Lucius, finished with Narcissa for the moment, stood regarding the antique watch he used to keep an eye on Hermione and his son.

He smiled to himself when he saw that they were in her bedroom. The dots that represented each of them were all but on top of each other.

He loved being right, and he loved that idea that at least one Malfoy was going to be inside of the beautiful young Gryffindor that night even more than he loved being right.

Narcissa came up behind him and encircled his waist with her arms, pulling him into a warm embrace.

She smiled when she saw what he had been looking at.

"So it worked then?" she asked happily.

"It appears so," he smiled back.

"Oh to be young again," she mused.

"We're still young," he responded in mock outrage. His wife giggled, she knew he was funnier than he was given credit for.

"What do you think they're doing?" she asked, her tone darkening.

Lucius smirked. He adored his wife's twisted mind.

"What we're about to do my love," he responded, twirling a lock of her hair.

"How?" she probed seductively.

"Well…" he said, sitting down on the couch and pulling her down to straddle him.

"He'll be a gentleman about it….the first time," he said, grabbing her behind.

* * *

A few minutes later Draco and Hermione lay in the afterglow of what they had done.

He had taken her into the spooning position and was gently stroking her hair as they regained their breath from their frenzied love making.

"That was…" she began.

"Incredible," he finished, "You were spectacular," he added.

She smiled, feeling safe in his tight embrace.

Eventually the discomfort of the mess he had made within her gave her enough motivation to leave the warmth of his arms and she pulled away from him, leaning toward the bedside table to grab her wand to clean up.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, grabbing her from behind.

"I need to clean up this mess you made," she responded indignantly.

"Oh no you don't," he responded playfully, noting the trail of his seed dripping enticingly down her milky white thigh. He had rather an amazing view from this vantage point.

"What?" she responded, somewhat confused.

He rose to his knees, pulled her backwards so her behind was flush with his pelvis, dragged her up by the hair and whispered in her ear.

"I'm not done with you yet…and I like you dirty," he responded as he entered her roughly from behind. She was more than ready for him. Dripping with their combined arousal from the last time, she stretched easily to accommodate him.

True to Lucius's prediction (unbeknownst to him), Draco was done being a gentleman and he was going to spend the rest of the night doing whatever he wanted with the _'filthy little mudblood_ ' he was falling in love with.

* * *

 **There it is folks. A massive long bit of smut for you. Please R &R and give me some answers to the questions I asked at the start of the chapter.**

 **Be kind, smut ain't easy!**


	26. Stolen Secrets Part 26

**Thanks so much for all of your reviews and enthusiasm. Sometimes I really can't believe just how popular this story has become! Also, don't worry about the Lumione dream… it will come in due course (based on your input).**

 **I am glad you liked my epic smut chapter. I am going to try and ease off on that for the time being because the idea for this one is to have a plot. But I do have some one-shot ideas etc. with similar versions of the characters if that would be of interest to anyone.**

 **Apologies for the delay – I have been moving internationally and it has been HECTIC, but this tale is never far from my mind. Don't worry, I won't abandon this. **

**As always, the Potter world is not my own but I do enjoy playing with the characters.**

 **M for adult content.**

* * *

Hermione awoke in his strong arms feeling sore but completely satisfied. He was holding her possessively in the spooning position and there was no way that she could sneak away - not that she wanted to.

She sighed as she began to lazily stroke his forearm. Her mind drifted to the night they had together, which was nothing short of mind blowing.

After he had forgiven her, he had spent the night giving her pleasure that up until last night she had not even imagined to be possible. At times he had her feeling used, at times he had her feeling worshiped, and in both scenarios he had managed to make her feel unbelievably good.

She would have wished that they had done it years ago, if only he wasn't such a git to her for most of their lives.

Hermione was torn from her thoughts at the sound of his husky voice. "You know, if I or anyone else ever steals your memories again… I think we put on quite the show." She could feel him smirking against her back.

"Stop being so full of yourself Malfoy," she said playfully.

"No, I don't think I will Granger," he retorted, gently kissing the nape of her neck. Her back was now healing nicely from the assault in the Ministry that night, which now felt like a distant memory to her.

Hermione couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She felt deliriously happy in this little world, away from everything else.

She felt his morning arousal behind her and winced at the pain between her legs. He had given her quite the work out the night before.

"I don't think I can do it again Draco," she whispered quietly, taking his hand and placing feather light kisses to it.

"That is what magic is for you know," he responded cheerfully.

"Is that so? Well how come you wouldn't let me use any healing or cleaning charms last night then?" she demanded.

Annoyingly, she could still feel him smiling into her back.

"It's more real that way," responded Draco honestly, "I get to see and feel what I've done to you." His hands were now drifting up and down her gorgeous body.

Hermione laughed. "Am I hearing this right? Draco Malfoy, great magical pureblood, prefers sex _the muggle way_?"

He playfully bit her shoulder, "don't go telling anyone that Granger or I will have to kill you. Which would be such a shame now I know just how much fun I can have with you," he breathed in her ear.

She giggled as he rolled them over and used wandless magic to refresh her body.

"You are insatiable Draco Malfoy," she giggled.

"Oh come on Granger, my skills are well known," he responded boastfully.

She looked him dead in the eye with seriousness, "Well Draco, I always just assumed you started those rumours yourself."

"You'll pay for that lioness," he purred as he pinned her wrists above her.

"I was banking on that," she said, a smirk worthy of a Malfoy covering her face.

"So devious, my princess," he said, dragging his hand down her stomach, lower and lower…

* * *

Several hours later she was dressed and ready to face the day. Although she could happily never lay eyes on Lucius Malfoy again after what he had done, they had too much business together to avoid it.

Hermione was and always had been a tough and ambitious woman. She was not going to let Lucius's sick games get in the way of her future. Their relationship was mutually beneficial, and she knew it. Not that he held all of the cards. A fact she was ready to remind him of.

She was also aware of the fact that her feelings for Draco were dangerously tangible and his future was in many ways linked to Lucius and the Malfoy name. She did not take this lightly.

Therefore, for both of them, she had to deal with this as soon as possible.

When she was a young girl her mother had told her that what she wore sent a message. She had been prone to ignoring such advice in her Hogwarts days but as a grown woman it was advice she tried to live by.

Today her message was clear. It was one of power. 'Do not fuck with me,' was the energy radiating from her as she entered Malfoy tower for her meeting with Lucius.

She wore a black silk women's suit and tie, much in the style of a muggle man's suit but tailored in such a way that it accentuated her figure. Her black pumps hit the marble floors with a fierce click, causing many of the staff members to visibly gawk. It was unusual attire for the wizarding world. That, combined with her fame as one of the golden trio was quite attention grabbing.

Hermione smirked to herself. Ordinarily, she preferred to remain anonymous and found the attention of the Prophet, Witch Weekly and the general public to be tiresome, but today it was good fuel for her meeting with Lucius.

She stalked past his secretary without a second look. She barely heard the mild mannered witch as she tried to protest Hermione's entrance into her boss's office.

When she reached the large mahogany door she turned on her heel and addressed the woman.

"Apologies Astrid, I'll be sure to let Lucius know that you did your best to maintain order."

She then turned back, opened the door and barged right in.

Lucius looked startled for only a moment before regaining his regular air of indifference.

"Hermione, always such a pleasure.. I assume you gave poor Astrid a heart attack," he said with a smile.

She sat down in one of his plush office chairs and regarded him coldly.

"What you did last night was inappropriate Lucius, not to mention disgusting, irresponsible, immoral and a range of other adjectives I can't think of right now!" she snapped, arms folded.

"Sometimes drastic measures must be taken. I explained to you that I believe that one should attain what they want regardless of the consequences and by any means. It is the Malfoy way… I've been rather clear about that," he responded calmly, his eyes drifting down to her blood red lips, which were clearly swollen from her night with Malfoy.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but he continued before she got the chance.

"After all, it worked didn't it? Draco was in your apartment with you all night. I think it is pretty clear what was going on," he said, eyes sparkling.

"It wasn't needed Lucius, neither of us care about that blasted prophecy because neither of us care about the Malfoy name," she said with disgust.

"Well, you certainly should care about the Malfoy name princess," he said silkily. She winced at the term princess, recalling his son's use of the word in bed that morning.

"After all, you and I made a vow. Additionally, your new lover _is a Malfoy_ … so I think you should care rather a lot," he finished.

"Your son doesn't give a fig about your family name Lucius. You may still be fabulously wealthy and relatively powerful, but your name is quite deservedly, mud, given your involvement with Voldemort," she bit back viciously.

Lucius was unable to mask his shock. Hermione thought she saw something else in his eyes, something that resembled hurt. Regardless, she stood her ground.

"You don't own me Lucius Malfoy. I can ignore the fucking vow if it's REASONABLE to do so. Given your behaviour, it's pretty bloody reasonable," she finished.

"Would you really walk away from all we have worked for?" he asked her.

"Truthfully Lucius, yes," she responded, "He could have never forgiven me. Never. You and your wife may be as twisted as they come, but your son is not the same. You hurt him and you hurt me. You see what you did as nothing. As a means to an end. In the real world, that's not how it is."

"Is that so?" he prodded.

Hermione rose from her seat and glared at him.

"I'll be in touch when I can stand to look at you again Lucius," she said with venom.

"So be it," he responded calmly.

As she walked towards the door she suddenly felt his hand around her arm.

"WHAT!?" she snapped as she turned around. The hair on her neck stood on end at the contact.

"Don't forget the hospital benefit gala… you know, the one you RSVP'd to with Theodore Nott," he said with raised eyebrows. He released his grip on her arm and stood back, removing himself from her personal space.

Hermione stalked away and slammed the door violently behind her.

"Theo… shit!" she muttered under her breath as she stomped away, her heels on the marble sending the echo of her hurried steps around the opulent building.

* * *

 **That's all for now. I am thinking Harry will make an appearance next chapter and Lucius might have his dream.**


	27. Stolen Secrets Part 27

**Hi Guys,**

 **I know I have been promising the dream and I had EVERY intention of including it in this chapter… But I actually did outlines for what was coming up and it just didn't fit. It will be in the NEXT chapter for sure. How sure am I? Positive. I have already written it.**

 **BUT… I want to ask your feedback. Would you like the dream to be detailed and lengthy (much like the chapter where Draco and Hermione hook up) or would you like the less is more approach. I have written it to be full length and almost plausible enough to NOT BE A DREAM. But I can easily edit it.**

 **Let me know :)**

 **M for adult content as always – no profit made.**

* * *

Harry sat regarding Hermione with an unreadable expression.

"So… you're not angry with me for Malfoy?" she asked tentatively.

"Which one?" he asked with a smirk, causing Hermione to smack his arm playfully.

"Well… he's a womanizer and an sour asshole… but you're the most powerful witch in an age so I think you can handle THAT…" he mused, "He's been on the right side of things for years and I did once see him fire an assistant for the derogatory use of the term _mudblood_ ," he continued.

Hermione smirked as her mind drifted away. Draco liked to use the term mudblood in the bedroom every so often, but it was usually followed by something intensely pleasurable. Not that Harry needed to hear about that. She had no reason to want the _boy who lived_ to drop dead on the spot.

"Earth to Hermione," said Harry, waving his hands and interrupting her from her thoughts.

"Sorry Harry, do go on," said Hermione, blushing slightly.

Naturally, Harry noticed her shade. "Were you dreaming about Malfoy or his father?" he teased.

"Harry Potter I WILL hex your balls off," warned Hermione.

Harry touched his hands to his jeans defensively. "Duly noted…I would rather keep them if it is all the same to you Hermione," he said, smiling.

"So… are you disgusted by it?" she asked self-consciously.

Harry appeared to be thinking for a few moments. "No. I am past our childhood issues. Malfoy was in an impossible position, as was I. We aren't anymore. The story ends there," he said evenly.

Hermione smiled. If she did pursue something with Malfoy, it would be far easier with Harry's support. The war might have been over, but people were still in the habit of looking to Harry for leadership. He did save the wizarding world from Voldemort, after all.

"But weren't you dating Theodore Nott… and aren't you going to the hospital benefit gala with him?" asked Harry, bursting her bubble.

Hermione groaned in response. "It's new with Malfoy…" she sighed.

Harry laughed. "Merlin Hermione, you sure do have a thing for Slytherins. Don't think I've forgotten about Zabini back at Hogwarts," he said, raising his eyebrows.

Hermione blushed. She hadn't thought about Blaise in a while. Not since she stormed into his office and demanded her vial of memories back. She resolved it was best not to tell Malfoy the method she used to get him to comply.

"I don't think poor Neville ever recovered from catching an eye full of you two in the greenhouse that time," laughed Harry, his eyes sparkling.

"You, Harry Potter, are just JEALOUS because you have been coupled up FOREVER," snapped Hermione, without any malice.

"Yes, but have you met my wife?" smirked Harry, "That fiery vixen is a different woman each day, it's one of the many reasons I love her."

"And she gave you James," added Hermione.

"He's a little devil right now Hermione, I am not so sure I should be grateful for that," he responded jokingly.

"So what should I do?" asked Hermione.

"You'll have to go to the Gala with Nott. Your RSVP is a matter of public record and he's done great things with that charity, you can't let him down or cause bad press or scandal. I'd like to say Malfoy will understand but…I don't think he will, you'll be in for a fight," he advised wisely.

Hermione groaned in response.

"Poor Malfoy, first you shag Zabini, then you date his other friend publicly, while shagging him in private," he mused.

"Did you just say poor Malfoy?... sure you feel okay?" she asked sarcastically.

"It's probably the lack of sleep… never have children Hermione," he responded.

The pair continued to laugh and talk in the little muggle café well into the afternoon. Happy to have survived Voldemort. Happy to have survived the Ministry attack. Grateful for their enduring friendship.

It was almost enough to put her fears about Theo and Malfoy from her mind. Almost.

* * *

"You want to go to a fucking ball as my fucking friends date?" yelled Malfoy that night, angrily pacing through her apartment.

"You know it's nothing like that!" insisted Hermione, exasperated by his response.

"What the fuck is it like then? Tell me? Have you kissed him? More?" yelled Malfoy, a dangerous look in his eyes.

Hermione did not like where this was going. She cast her eyes downward.

"You know we were dating… yes.. okay.. yes! Of course we have kissed," she responded pleadingly.

He made no effort to hide his fury. He was a Malfoy. He did not share. As far as he was concerned, she was his. The idea of her on the arm of anyone, let alone a wealthy pureblood he had known since childhood, made him physically sick.

"You can't! I forbid it!" he exclaimed, realizing he sounded somewhat childish but not particularly caring.

Hermione scoffed. "You FORBID IT?!" she shrieked.

"I don't know what fucking century you live in Draco Malfoy but you DON'T OWN ME. I am going because it was predetermined and the charity is too important to jeopardize. This money goes to saving lives Malfoy… I rather think it is more important than you or I or jealousy!" she ranted.

He had to admit, she had a point. Not that he had any intention of taking that point.

"Don't do it…" he growled.

"It is done! Please don't be like this," she begged.

"Fine," he said coldly, before turning on his heel to leave.

* * *

"What a complete twat," said Theo, extending his arm to begin to escort Hermione into the lavish venue. "I hardly thinking talking to you like he owns you is going to elicit any kind of positive response, does he not know you at all?" he mused.

She sighed. Why did she have to have such strong feelings for Draco? Clearly the divine, progressive, kind man beside her would have been a far better choice, but the heart was not something that could always be controlled by the mind.

Perhaps if she never connected with Draco. If he never stole the memories. If she never had been taken into his care following the Ministry attack… perhaps then with her focus on him, Theo could have been the one.

She thought it to be awfully cruel, the way the world worked at times. How we could all be victims of poor timing.

All eyes were on Hermione and Theo as they entered the opulent ballroom. Hermione wore a black silk gown that dipped low, showing off the curve of her back. A simple diamond necklace adorned her neck. Her hair was styled into soft curls and her makeup was subtle, but Smokey in the eyes. She had settled for a simple gloss, rather than lipstick.

It was clear that she had the attention of most of the men in the room, including Lucius Malfoy, who stood with a number of business associates, a smug look gracing his regal features.

Theo wore a simple but classic suit and tie, made from fine material by a sought after tailor. They made quite the pair as they descended the intricate staircase.

Hermione was mostly uncomfortable with being the centre of attention and was looking forward to sneaking away later in the evening. Theo on the other hand, was in his element.

They spoke with everyone from prominent and wealthy witches and wizards, politicians, Ministry staff and friends. It was all rather tiresome for Hermione. Truthfully, she just wanted to find Draco and spend time with him. Regardless of his outburst, she couldn't get him off her mind.

All that changed of course, when she saw him, and the shamelessly dressed tart on his arm.

He wanted to play that game? Well fuck him.

He caught her eye and smirked, clearly pleased with himself. The nameless tart was whispering something into his ear and giggling, his hand on the small of her back.

Hermione, not one to give this man any satisfaction, simply met his gaze with an impassive expression, shrugged and walked away.

* * *

It was not the reaction he had expected. He had expected to see anger, or hurt, or sadness, or annoyance… or… something.

Instead, she gave him nothing. Nothing but indifference. Her stare had been so vacant and so cold, he knew immediately he had made a mistake.

He had fallen into an old habit. Trying to hurt someone who hurt him. Seeking revenge. He realized in that moment he had been childish. Beyond that, he had been stupid.

This was Hermione Granger. She was not like the floozy on his arm. She was not like any other woman. She was not going to be manipulated or made to act out of jealousy because he had paraded an attractive woman in front of her. His actions had been rash and angry.

Oh Merlin… what had he done?

* * *

Hermione continued to walk, her back straightened, towards the nearest bar. She needed a fire whiskey to calm her nerves.

She was livid. How dare he disrespect her so? She was only there with Theo because she made a prior commitment to him and the charity. It was a matter of business. Draco should have been adult enough to see that.

It's not like she hadn't been honest with Theo about her situation. He had been nothing but supportive of her will and grateful that she chose to come with him for the sake of the event. Theo was an adult though and clearly, Draco was a child.

It was abundantly clear that regardless of the growing ache in her heart, she needed to rethink whatever it was she had with Draco.

She couldn't be with a man who would play such games. Who set out to torture and hurt her emotionally. It wasn't who she was, or what she wanted.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by a familiar voice.

"Hello Hermione," said Lucius gently.

Brilliant. Just what she needed. Another Malfoy asshole. What a night! She thought to herself angrily.

"Lucius," she responded stiffly, aware of the fact they were in public. Drink throwing and murder would have been frowned on she supposed. Worst luck.

"I know I am not your favourite person right now," he ventured.

She merely raised her eyebrows.

"I do hope we can move past this, I feel that our relationship has been beneficial to us both over the years," he continued delicately.

They leaned against the bar in silence for a few minutes before she broke the silence.

"Your son is an asshole," she said resolutely.

"I'm afraid it may run in the family," he responded solemnly, watching Draco's date shamelessly running her hands along his side. He knew his son well enough to know he was uncomfortable with what was going on, but didn't have it in him to put a stop to it. He was disappointed.

He noticed Draco look in their direction, his eyes wide with recognition. Hermione remained impassive as ever. Lucius gave him a look of absolute contempt and disappointment.

"Has he blown it?" asked Lucius.

"Probably," she said sadly, downing the last of her fire whiskey.

"I suppose I had better find my date," she said flatly, walking away from Lucius without so much as a glance.

She made it her mission not to run into either Malfoy again that night.

* * *

He had searched for her frantically and to no avail.

Eventually he ran into the last wizard he felt like seeing, Theodore Nott.

"You're an idiot you know mate," said his old friend.

"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Draco coldly.

"Why on Earth did you bring that… woman… here Draco? You had her. You had Hermione Granger," said Theo incredulously.

"Don't you mean YOU had her Theo… she was YOUR date after all," he said condescendingly.

Theo rolled his eyes. "In name only. You and I both know she was only doing me a favour. This was arranged before things developed between the two of you. I won't lie, I was interested in her, and she's a once in a lifetime catch…. But I also wouldn't want to be with a woman whose heart was elsewhere," he said.

Draco regarded his old friend with suspicion.

"So in your mind, nothing was ever going to happen with the two of you tonight?" he asked.

"She made it clear nothing would. She was going to go home with you," said Theo, eyes narrowed, "until you tried to rub that pureblooded model in her face," he finished coldly.

"Fuck," said Draco.

"I wouldn't be shocked if she never spoke with you again. It was so disrespectful, nasty and uncalled for. Hermione Granger commands respect Draco. She fucking deserves it. You're an idiot, but I have to thank you," he said with a smirk.

"Thank me for what?" asked Draco.

"Well, perhaps I'll get a second chance with her now," he said, a brilliant light behind his eyes.

"You're a real piece of work," spat Malfoy, impressed and furious with his old friend at the same time.

"I am a mere amateur compared to you Draco," said Theo serenely, walking away to continue to romance donors into parting with their galleons for his cause.

Serena or Athena or whatever her name was approached him again, hooking her finger in his belt loop and whispering seductively into his ear.

"When are you taking me home?" she purred.

"Fuck!" he almost shouted, when he caught sight of Granger watching the whole seemingly intimate exchange from the other side of the room.

She merely shook her head and continued on her way to the library. She was gone far too quickly for him to catch up with after pushing his date away.

He will never change, she thought as she entered the library of the opulent venue, seeking a space in which to collect her thoughts and apparate away.

* * *

 **That's it for now. Please let me know how you would like me to handle the dream. Do you want to give it it's own chapter with plenty of smutty detail - or shall I keep it short and sweet?**

 **As I said, it is written in such a way that it would work as a dream or a reality based on this chapter.**


	28. Stolen Secrets Part 28

**STRESS NOT MY BELOVED READERS!**

 **The dream won't be real. Some of you were correct that I was saying that I have written it to be so detailed that it COULD be reality based on the last chapter. Not that it IS reality. I always find the best dream sequences have the reader/viewer feeling like it COULD be real – that's what I have gone for here.**

 **Also, you all overwhelmingly wanted a large chapter of it… your wish is my command**

 **To the guest reviewer who felt that Draco did nothing wrong in bringing a date given she had kissed his father and was going with another man – he was entitled to not have to go to the event alone. I like your perspective but I would say this: He could have brought a female friend or colleague but he chose to bring a tarty model type who would be all over him to deliberately make her jealous – that was what was wrong about it, as he knew she wasn't with Theo to make him jealous at all. She was just sticking to a commitment. So that's why she's mad. But you are right – they have deeper issues to work on.**

 **Don't worry – I have said before, Lumione is fun but this is a Dramione story. Sorry I worried you (even though it was kind of fun mwahahaha).**

 **Also there are a few people who keep requesting (or maybe it's the one person… you guests are hard to keep track of) that Lucius ends up watching Draco and Hermione somehow… is that a thing more than a minority of you want? I don't know…**

 **I am not putting this in italics or anything so AGAIN.. DO NOT FREAK OUT. THIS IS A DREAM.**

 **So, here we go….**

* * *

She knew no one else would find the library. It was a magically charmed area of the venue the owner told her about at a Ministry event years ago – given her well known love of books.

Rather than heading home immediately, she decided to stay a while among the stacks of beautiful books, breathing in their scent and letting the idea of all of the pleasure and wisdom they contained calm her.

"See anything you like?" she heard a silky voice utter from the shadows. She knew immediately who it was, but couldn't help but jump at being disrupted from her thoughts.

"Oh God, Lucius, you scared me," she said, causing the attractive older wizard to smirk.

"I doubt you're scared of anyone for long Ms. Granger," he said, raising an eyebrow knowingly.

"Mmmmmm" she mumbled in response, running the tips of her fingers along the old tomes. She didn't bother to ask how he knew about this section of the building, she figured, being Lucius Malfoy, he knew most of the secrets there were to know in the wizarding world. It was an annoyingly attractive quality he had, something that led her to work with him to begin with.

"This is the section on pureblood," he said in an educational tone, absentminded removing a volume and flicking through it. "Many of these are the materials Malfoys are educated with, you'll be pleased to know I have updated the Manor library with some more…modern…literature on the subject," he finished.

Hermione leaned against the shelf casually. "Do you think your life would have been different, had you not been raised with all of this?" she said, gesturing towards the offending texts.

"Maybe, perhaps I would have married a mudblood," he said with a wink, making it clear his use of the term was not intentionally offensive.

"Hmm, but then again, how would you have created such an impossibly arrogant son?" she asked, not bothering to mask her annoyance at Draco to his father.

Perhaps it was the champagne and fire whiskey getting to her head, but she felt as though there was a flirtatious undercurrent growing between them again. Surely it was harmless?

He took a step closer to her, he was now close enough that she could feel his breath. Lucius took one of her velvety curls into his hand and began to twirl it between his fingers. She knew she should step away, get out of there, but for some reason she was paralyzed.

"I've never had a _mudblood_ you know," he announced casually, "other than our, ah…incident," he finished.

"You mean when you tried to fuck up my relationship with your son?" she asked bitingly.

She thought she saw a hint of a blush cross his cheeks.

"Perhaps I was a tad…insensitive," he conceded.

"Are you admitting you were wrong?" she asked, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

"Wrong is a strong word lioness," he purred, stroking the side of her face.

Hermione remained frozen, as if she were glued to the spot.

"You know, darling, no one knows we are here…." He said, trailing off, staring at her lips intently.

He knew he was pushing things too far but a devious idea had crossed his mind and the moment he touched her he knew he couldn't go back.

"So?" asked Hermione impatiently.

"So I have a proposition for you," a slight shake in his voice, which was rare for Lucius Malfoy.

"And what might that be?" she said, biting her lip.

"That we indulge ourselves," he said, a devilish look in his eye.

She felt her breath hitch. "Draco would never forgive me Lucius I…" she began, before he promptly cut her off.

"Draco is off with that tart doing God knows what," he snapped.

"And Narcissa?" she asked.

"We both have old magic at our disposal Hermione… we could simply erase the memory afterwards," he said matter-of-factly. He was amazed he had never thought of such a thing before. Perhaps it was their surroundings.

"Erase it?" she repeated slowly.

"Erase it lioness. Like it never happened. We won't remember," he said, trying not to sound desperate. Ever since he had felt her against him that night he had wanted more. He had tried to hold back because of Draco but the boy seemed determined to ruin everything for himself.

As he searched her eyes with his own, he saw the shadowy corners of her complex mind, thinking about his proposition. There was a darkness in Hermione that he reveled in, and, perhaps foolishly, felt was all for him. It was intoxicating. He was envious of his son for having her and astounded he would be so foolish as to jeopardize it.

He almost saw her make the decision before her intentions became clear. Crystal clear.

She shoved Lucius backwards into a nearby seat and sat on the desk facing him.

Lucius gulped in a most undignified manor as she hitched her dress up and spread her legs. She had not worn underwear to the event. He could only assume it was because she had intended to go home with his son. Well, Draco's loss was certainly his gain.

Gently, she pushed him backwards into the chair with her well-heeled foot, the spike of her heel digging into his chest ever so slightly. She smirked as he watched her in awe. Hermione Granger clearly loved the power she knew she had over men.

* * *

"You've never tasted a mudblood?" she said seductively, "taste me," she demanded, her eyes were full of fire.

Lucius was instantly and unbelievably aroused by her. He loved strong women. He loved women who knew how to set the rules.

He loosened his tie and moved forward, slipping his hands around her behind to bring her forward. She spread her legs wide for him and let him get to work, moaning as he pleasured her obediently.

He didn't dare stop. He was somehow convinced she would come to her senses and leave. He thought he might die if he didn't get to be inside of her.

He could tell she was close and not wanting to disappoint, he added his fingers to intensify the pleasure he was already giving her with his mouth. She pulled at his hair and pulled him closer as she came undone.

She was the kind of woman that men dreamed of, he thought to himself. Just pleasing her was enough to drive him almost to madness, he struggled to imagine how much better being inside of her would be.

After she fell over the edge she regained her composure and looked down on him, eyes black with lust. He was disheveled and as her eyes dropped to his lap, it was clear he was ready for her.

"Take them off," she demanded, pointing to his trousers.

"As you wish princess," he breathed, delighted with the direction this was taking.

Slowly, she removed herself from the desk and straddled him, still completely dressed. Gently, she reached behind her neck and unclipped the clasp, allowing the back dress to drop to her waist. She smiled as she felt his eyes all over her body. His hands massaging her strong thighs.

Slowly, she lowered herself on to him and began to move slowly. Torturously allowing him entrance and teasing him with every rise of her hips. All the while, she did not break eye contact with him, which gave him the greatest pleasure of all. He loved watching her eyes widen every time he filled her completely and the little moans escaping her mouth at the intrusion. She wore her pleasure on her face, and it was intoxicating.

Eventually he broke eye contact in order to trail gentle kisses down her neck to her breasts, which were soft, pert and young. No longer a young man himself, it had been some time since he had been with a woman Hermione's age. He was enamoured with her.

He took one of her teardrop breasts into his mouth and massaged the other, eliciting a soft moan from Hermione, who was leaning down and nibbling on his earlobe while she continued to torture him with her hips.

He felt her pace increase and groaned at the building pleasure of it. He continued to rub and suckle on her, breaking only to stop to watch her, appreciating the sight of the heavenly witch straddling him on the antique chair.

As he ran his tongue along the curve of her neck he heard her breathy voice in his ear. "Do I taste good Lucius?" she purred, before letting out another moan as he threw his hips up violently, taking her more deeply than before.

Grabbing her neck he pulled her ear close to his mouth. "You taste divine sweetheart," he growled, increasing the power of his thrusts.

"Do you like this?" she asked seductively, impaling herself more fervently on his substantial manhood, a family trait, evidently. Hermione was silently thanking the Gods for such genetics.

"You're a bad bad witch Hermione," he said, grabbing her hips and slamming her onto him with more power.

"He can never know," she begged through her moans as she approached her climax, impossibly turned on by the wrongness of what they were doing.

"It'll be our little secret my darling," he promised, closing his eyes to enjoy his imminent release.

He could barely contain his excitement as the much younger witch came apart on him, pulling at his loosened tie to drag his lips to hers, moaning into his mouth through a frantic kiss.

"Fill me Lucius," she demanded.

He immediately stood up with her legs wrapped around him, and planted her feet on the ground. Hermione, could barely stand, her body weak from reaching her own peak moments ago. He roughly grabbed her trim waist and turned her around to bend over the desk.

He hitched the dress to bunch around her waist and spread her legs. He took a moment to appreciate the view in front of him. Unable to help himself, he got to his knees and tasted her some more. A shocked but appreciative Hermione instantly began to moan again, unbelievably responsive to him.

Unable to wait to be within her again, he stood and began to thrust into her violently, causing her to grip the desk tightly to steady herself as the older wizard took her relentlessly. "I…love…it" she managed to get out, between moans and thrusts. She came apart again, loudly.

Encouraged by this, he found his release, filling her with his seed, just as she had demanded earlier.

They stayed a moment, regaining their breath.

He stepped back and sat back down, pulling her down to sit on his lap. He loved the way she looked, her chest rising and falling as she arched her back to lean into him, resting her head on his shoulder. She was a perfect specimen of womanhood, he concluded, and her blood didn't matter. Not at all.

"We shouldn't have done that," she said uneasily.

"I know," he responded simply.

"But we can erase it all," she continued

"Of course, you know as well as anyone, memories can be altered," he said with confidence.

"Should we do it again then?" she asked deviously, deciding to give in to her own darkness for a while.

"Oh yes, I think we should," he responded, smirking and dragging his hands along the curves of her waist.

She giggled as she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy woke from his dream, impossibly frustrated and with a jolt.

Once he realized it was only a dream he felt both relief and disappointment. He had no doubt that sex with Hermione would be nothing short of mind blowing, but he had no intention of betraying his wife and son in such a way. Yet nothing could stop the fantasies.

He looked at his sleeping wife lovingly. She was his queen after all. Hermione was to be Draco's. That is what the fates had decided, provided Draco didn't keep fucking it up.

He leaned down to softly kiss her lips and caress her hair. She woke up slightly and smiled at him.

"It's late darling, is everything okay?" she asked sleepily.

"It's quite alright, I just had a dream," he said gently.

"What kind of dream?" she asked, snuggling into his side.

"An intriguing one," he said seductively. That got her attention.

Her lips soon found his, demanding an explanation.

In an instant he had transported them both to the library in the Malfoy Manor.

He sat her down on the desk and sat in the arm chair facing her, slowly hitching her skirt up.

Narcissa, now wide awake, immediately spread her legs for her husband.

"What a lovely surprise," she breathed as he began to pleasure her, much as he had Hermione in the dream he had just had.

* * *

 **Dream smut! I tried not to be repetitive, but at the same time, I was going for a 'like father like son' vibe. Hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Next chapter - we will deal with the fallout between Draco and Hermione. Reviews, thoughts, predictions and comments welcome. Thanks for all your support. You're amazing! I looooove your comments.**


	29. Stolen Secrets Part 29

**Readers I am sorry for my slow update.**

 **My life has been INSANE lately. I have not had a day to myself in lord knows how long and so I have been slack. But as always, I assure you, I will not abandon this story. This is not the longest chapter but it will have to do for now. I must warn you - not much happens. BUT, I am trying to keep an element of realism to it. Some out of character is fine but I still want them to be Draco and Hermione, neither of which would let things go too quickly.**

 **Let me know your hopes and fears for their reunion!**

 **As always, this is an M rated story.**

 **I do not own these characters.**

* * *

Hermione awoke with a pounding headache, a bad mood and annoying tapping at her window that was getting harder and harder to ignore.

With an irritated sigh, she rolled off her bed ungracefully and continued towards the large bay window in her bedroom where a number of owls were congregated, taking turns to torture her with their incessant tapping.

"It's like something out of the bloody Raven," she mumbled angrily to herself, "tap tap fucking tap."

She had a terrible night at the gala and an even worse sleep, plagued with erotic dreams, scratch that, nightmares, about Lucius Malfoy that she resolved never to think about again unless under the care of a licensed mental health professional.

She opened the window, finally putting a stop to the torturous tapping and collected the parcels from the owls. It was immediately obvious that the gifts were from Draco, he had always used a fairly noticeable and ostentatious collection of stationary. _Arrogant git_ , she thought to herself.

She groaned audibly as she returned to her bed with the parcels. She really did have a rancid headache.

The first parcel contained five elegantly wrapped night dresses, identical to the one he tore the first time they were intimate, just as he had promised at the time.

The note, beautifully hand written in green ink, read, "I'm sorry I tore such a thing of beauty, I hope this goes some way to showing you that I keep my promises."

She couldn't help but smile a little at this. That's not to say she wasn't still furious. Though it was hard to stay that way when she recalled some of the wicked things he had done to her that night.

Regardless, she had made it clear that her attendance with Theo was nothing more than a business arrangement and yet he still dragged along the pureblooded model type to upset her. Just how far would he have gone with her to make a point?

Could she seriously pursue something real with a wizard who, at their age, insisted on playing such games? Hermione Granger was far too straight forward for that.

Although they didn't get off to the best start, she expected better from him given the intensity of their encounters. Maybe he didn't feel the same? Perhaps to Draco, it was another of his games. A few night dresses didn't help the doubt that was creeping into her brilliant mind.

The next parcel was considerably smaller. As she unwrapped it she knew immediately it was jewellery of some sort based on the small velvet box it almost rolled her eyes.

Malfoy's elaborate gifts to mistresses were nothing new, every tabloid in the wizarding world had run gossip articles about his legendary gift giving prowess. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires adored the necks of many of Britain's most eligible pureblood witches on the Malfoy dime. If he wanted to win her back, this was not the way to do it.

Her attitude changed somewhat however, when she opened the box and saw what he had purchased for her.

Instead of the indulgent and showy pieces she had seen in Witch Weekly, she saw a fine gold bracelet with only one small charm on it. She lifted the delicate piece gently and turned it over in her hand.

The charm itself was a pretty little book with a small emerald embedded in the cover. It was as tasteful as it was beautiful, but if he thought she was the kind of woman who could be bought off with silk and jewels he could sod right off. She was still furious with him.

The final parcel contained nothing but a letter addressed to her.

Inside of it was the front cover of today's edition of the Daily Prophet.

 _SHE LOVES HIM NOTT!_

 _The rumoured romance between war heroine Hermione Granger and well respected businessman Theodore Nott appears to have gone cold. Rumours of the pair's romance had been running rife through the wizarding world after having been spotted on what appeared to be a rather flirtatious date, however it appears the pair are nothing more than friends now._

 _Although the attractive duo attended last night's gala (to raise money for medical research) together, Mr. Nott informed Ms. Skeeter that the pair simply attended as good friends and business associates. This appeared to hold true as the couple were barely seen together throughout the night. Ms. Granger appeared to leave early, alone, while Mr. Nott was later seen flirting with Daphne Greengrass, a fellow member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight._

 _While Ms. Granger and Mr. Nott appear to be on excellent terms, we can't help but wonder, what went wrong? Could the old but persistent rumour of a secret romance between Ms. Granger and the notorious playboy Draco Malfoy be to blame?_

 _Mr. Malfoy was seen earlier in the evening with another witch but reportedly left alone as well. Has Ms. Granger fallen under the spell of the Malfoy heir or is she just enjoying her life as, arguably, Britain's most eligible witch? Watch this space!_

She couldn't help but snort at the kind of trash the Prophet printed, although on this occasion it was not too inaccurate. Theo would be happy at least, this would help bring extra publicity to the cause.

Hermione then turned her attention to the handwritten letter included with the article.

 _Hermione,_

 _I do not want to apologise in a way that would be degrading to a Malfoy, but I am willing to do so for you._

 _I should have known better than to play games with you, and so, in the interest of proving that I have changed, or at least, I can TRY to change, I am going to lay my cards on the table for you._

 _Ever since I stepped into your memories and I witnessed firsthand your strength, power and depth I have been fascinated by you. Beyond that, the immense physical attraction I have felt for you has been overwhelming to say the least. I can say, with some ego, that not many witches in Britain would turn me down, but I do not want any of them – now that I have had you._

 _You are the most exquisite woman, in more ways than one. Your brains, beauty and bravery are surpassed only by your loveliness. Your cunning, ruthlessness and ambition only serve to make you more alluring and wonderful than a man like me could hope for in a woman._

 _So few people know your secrets lioness – and how many of your so called friends would accept you wholly if they did? I adore even your darkest spaces, the ones that nobody claps for. The things you keep buried in that delicious mind of yours._

 _I accept you entirely, as you are. _

_My feelings for you are unconditional, but we got off to a bad start. We need to talk about things._

 _Hear this: I will not take no for an answer. If I do not hear from you, I will come for you, and I will keep coming for you, always. That is a promise, my darling._

 _Yours in devotion,_

 _Draco Malfoy_

Hermione shuddered as she realized he had signed his promise in his own blood. A creepy practice that purebloods have been known to use (albeit sparingly). Of course, in the muggle world, if a man sent you a letter signed in his own blood, you would ordinarily run for the hills, but Draco Malfoy was no muggle, and certainly not ordinary at all.

She let out a shaky breath as what felt like a parade of butterflies made her way through her body.

It was strange, intense and had the vaguely threatening yet complimentary tone she had come to expect from the Malfoys'.

Why did she find that so damned appealing? Gently, she wrapped the bracelet around her wrist and clipped the clasp. Immediately, another owl appeared at the window. _Curious_ , thought Hermione. _It's as though it knew._

The final letter contained only a poem. The author was a well known muggle but his work was not known so much in the wizarding world. _Since when did Draco Malfoy read muggle poetry?_ she wondered.

ALWAYS – Pablo Neruda

Facing you

I am not jealous.

Come with a man

At your back,

Come with a hundred men in your hair,

Come with a thousand men between your bosom

and your feet,

come like a river

filled with drowned men

that meets the furious sea,

the eternal foam, the weather.

Bring them all

Where I wait for you:

We shall always be alone,

We shall always be, you and I,

Alone upon the earth

To begin life."

When she turned the parchment over she noticed a small note scrawled in his signature green ink.

 _"I will do my best to refrain from drowning all of the men in your past, but I cannot make any promises."_

She couldn't help but break into a fit of laughter at this. Of course he couldn't let a romantic gesture go without being a git at the end.

* * *

She took a potion to help her headache and went to the bathroom to clean up. Hermione couldn't very well go to him looking like she did currently.

After about half an hour she stood in his study as he examined her expectantly.

"We need to talk," she said gently, barely daring to look into his intense grey eyes.

"Very well sweetheart," he said, a smirk playing on his lips as he noticed the gold bracelet gracing her delicate wrist.

She grabbed the bracelet subconsciously and narrowed her eyes. "You can't just buy me you know, I am not for sale," she said firmly.

He stood up and walked quickly to her side, lifting her wrist and examining the bracelet. He clicked his tongue approvingly as he thumbed the small emerald. He did so love green. So much so, that she was the first woman he had ever gifted it to, as emeralds were for Malfoy's only, in his mind at least.

"Of course not Hermione," he said smoothly, raising his electrifying eyes to meet hers, "it's one of the many reasons I adore you so. Any woman you can buy, simply isn't worth having," he said, dropping her wrist gently.

A shiver ran up her spine and she wanted nothing more than to tell him to take her on the desk, but she knew she needed to do her best to keep her head, they needed to talk after all.

As if reading her mind he took her hand in his and looked at her thoughtfully.

"We do need to talk," he said seriously.

"I know," was the only response she could muster.

* * *

 **Sorry it was short and sweet guys. Again, let me know your hopes and dreams for the direction of this tale :) I love your passion, interaction and reviews.**


	30. Stolen Secrets Part 30

**Hello All –**

 **Life is still super intense but here is the next chapter.**

 **I note that several people were still asking about Lucius watching. I will probably do this at some point if/when it makes sense in the story.**

 **For now, I have just focused on our favourite couple sorting things out.**

 **Hope you enjoy and I will try to get the next chapter to you soon (but I do have a big few weeks coming up). Either way, don't worry, I won't abandon this.**

 **Thanks as always for your comments, I know there are some regular guest reviewers who I can't name up because I don't know who you are but appreciate it. Thanks as always to elizabethrose1974, MaidenAlice, GeekMom13 and LightofEvolution who I have noticed reviewing frequently. Basically, thanks everyone. Your encouragement really does keep me going.**

 **As always – I make no profit from this, I don't own the Potter world and this is an M rated story. THERE IS SMUT IN THIS CHAPTER. SKIP IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE EXPLICIT STUFF. If you skip it, basically, they made up.**

 **Oh and if you're weird about blood maybe don't read the last part. This is definitely not a totally dark fic but it has some darker elements so… yeah….**

* * *

"So talk," she said softly, making herself comfortable on the plush seat in front of his luxurious desk. All of the furnishings in his office were beautiful because, of course, Malfoys only ever had the best.

"Well, you got my letter, you're wearing my gift, is it fair to say you're willing to give me another chance?" He asked, less casually than he had hoped.

Hermione bit her lip. "Yes, I want to hear you out," she said, looking down. It was hard to look at him. His gaze was too intense, and to make matters worse, her headache was not completely gone.

"Good. I shouldn't have reacted as I did, but you should understand that you're not an easy woman to be involved with..." he began.

Hermione stiffened. Draco wanted to go to her, but knew it was best that they talked before they had any physical contact. It seemed like they were incapable of avoiding the overwhelming lust at each other's touch, so he knew it was prudent to keep a distance - at least until things were ironed out.

"What I mean to say, is that you have history with a number of my friends and you've also had... some... thing... with my father. It's hardly uncomplicated is it?" He asked.

"No," she agreed quietly.

"I overreacted with Theo. I can't help but be possessive. It's who I am. I want you to be mine and only mine," he said, willing her to look at him.

Hermione raised her eyes to meet his and gave him a defiant look. "I belong to no one but myself Draco, you'll do well to remember this," she said, her tone hard.

He smirked. He loved the fire in her. Frankly, he had always enjoyed trading barbs with the woman, even as kids. Draco loved that she fought back, not many people ever dared with him. There were many reasons. People found him to be intimidating, some still worried he remained a dark wizard and others were agreeable due to his family's money and power.

Basically, hardly anyone in his life ever really stood up to him. He loved that she never fell at his feet. She made him work and for an intelligent and driven wizard such as he, this was her most attractive quality.

"Of course, lioness," he conceded with a smirk, "perhaps I'll rephrase. You belong to you... but when it comes to other men... I want you to be mine," he said calmly.

"You really thought I would just run off with Theo after what we had shared together?" She asked incredulously. "I know you're possessive Draco but I never took you for insecure and irrational. Not to mention, what does it say about what kind of person you think I am?"

Draco narrowed his eyes. He was not about to be made out to be some kind of hysterical fool. "It's not so irrational. Think about it. He and I are in similar standing. Looks. Money. Power. Family. You did date the guy... it's not so irrational at all," he argued, "and it is certainly NO reflection on you as a person Hermione."

"But it is insecure," she responded, she was not going to let him off easily.

"Perhaps, but look at it this way. You are the princess of the Golden Trio... I was a Death Eater, I'm not exactly known for hugging puppies and dancing around rainbows Hermione," he said, without humour.

His grey eyes darkened as he rolled up his sleeve to reveal his faint dark mark. He usually had glamour charms over it or obscured it somehow, so it was something Hermione almost forgot that he had.

"Look at it Hermione, think about who I am," he said forcefully. "Then think about who YOU are!" he finished.

She had never seen this side of him. Even immediately after the final battle, he always held his head high. She never knew how he felt about the mark on his skin. It hadn't really dawned on her that he would see her as a superior because of it.

Hermione softened at this omission. _Sometimes it can be easy to forget that other people don't see themselves the way you see them_ , she thought to herself.

"Not who you are, who you _were_ ," she corrected tenderly.

Ignoring her, Draco continued. "All of the men in your life, they're all undoubtedly 'good.' Weasley, Nott, shit even Zabini was open minded about blood purity in our school days... I'm rather... different to them all," he continued in an even tone.

Hermione stood from her chair and walked towards him. Draco had been leaning on the side of the desk looking brooding and handsome which gave her a sudden need to be close to him.

She stopped in front of him and regarded him with an unusually (for her) unreadable expression. He looked up at her expectantly and she couldn't recall a time when he had felt more vulnerable to her.

Gently, she cupped his chin in her hand and stared into his beautiful silver grey eyes.

"You know Draco, it seems to me like you're focusing entirely on the wrong things," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Placing a hand on the small of her back he pulled her closer without relinquishing eye contact.

"How so?" He asked, a bemused expression gracing his handsome features.

Sensing the mood had changed, she continued. "Well..." she said casually, dusting his shoulder, "you're giving all of this thought to men in my past and the virtues you perceive them as having...but that's pointless," she began.

"Is not bloody pointless," he responded indignantly. Merlin, she was easy to argue with.

"Yes it is," she responded authoritatively, "let me tell you why. Firstly, you think that these men are so wonderful..." she began before he cut her off abruptly.

"I _do not_ think the Weasel is wonderful," he snorted.

Hermione never liked him calling Ron by that name, but she still couldn't help but smirk.

"Okay, not wonderful, but intrinsically honest, good... always on the right side," she corrected.

"Alright, fair enough," he admitted.

"Well," she continued, "Zabini was good for a broom closet shag but not much else as far as I was concerned," she said, amused at the disgusted and jealous look Draco failed to mask behind his indifferent glare.

"Theo," she continued, "lost my interest the second I got yours," she said wickedly, pressing herself closer to him, "despite my best intentions and confusion as to why I would prefer a mostly insufferable ass like you!" She said playfully.

He narrowed his eyes but gave her hip a squeeze to let her know he wasn't angry. He wanted her to continue. Plus he liked having her close.

"Your father, I don't know, he's rather adept at ah..." she began, "mind games," finished Draco flatly.

"For a long time only he knew about my... temper, when... pushed," she said uneasily.

"You mean just how wicked a witch you truly are," he said, eyes sparkling.

"Indeed," she said looking away uneasily. It was never an easy topic for her. She felt justified in her actions, but they ran counter to most of her beliefs. She didn't expect anyone to understand her. The Malfoy's acceptance of her had taken her quite surprise.

Perhaps it was because they were one in the same. There was undoubtedly light and dark in both of them, though their measurements certainly varied.

She gently leaned forward and placed her lips to his ear. "You like that I have a past. You would be bored if I didn't. You've been bored by women... it's painfully obvious," she whispered.

She felt his body reacting to her immediately. "I seem to recall you liking a number of the things I've learnt along the way..." she said seductively, placing a kiss on his jawline and moving her face so she could look up at him.

He stayed where he was, leaning against the desk, but she felt his grip on her hips tighten.

"Logic dictates that the present and the future are far more worthwhile lines on inquiry. For example, I have no desire to be with anyone but you right now..." she said huskily, stroking his cheek tenderly.

Draco did his best to hold on to his sanity as he looked at the beautiful witch. He felt pathetic for feeling so strongly. Generally he prided himself on his cold indifference - but he found that impossible with her. She was a game changer.

"I want more than just right now," he said, abandoning the last of his pride.

"I'm a rational person Draco. I can't make promises... I won't... but I can tell you this, I'm not interested in Theo, or anyone else. You have all of my attention. More than anyone else ever has..." she said, trailing off as she placed another delicate kiss on his jawline, inching closer to his lips.

Draco smirked at her admission. Finally, he was getting somewhere with the impossible witch.

"And my father..." he began, before being halted as she pressed a finger to his soft lips.

"Your father doesn't matter. We have some intense shared history... I'll be frank. You know I've kissed you both..." she said, noticing Draco wince.

"I would rather we didn't talk about it either, but we have to, so here it is. I've kissed you both. The explosion I feel when I'm with you... it didn't exist with him. He was playing a sick game and I was caught off guard and gave in to a morbid curiosity. That was it. No more. Ever. It's you Draco... only you" she said, nervousness about the sensitive topic evident in her slightly shaky voice.

To comfort her, Draco coiled his arms around her more tightly and pulled her into a deep embrace. They enjoyed the silence for a moment, Draco playing with her honey brown locks and taking in her beautiful scent. Her damp hair smelt like vanilla and a spice he couldn't quite put his finger on, but would be quite happy to drown himself in forever.

Hermione gently ran her fingers up and down his toned back, marveling at how safe she felt in the arms of her childhood enemy. The boy who once called her _mudblood_ _filth_ and had actively conspired with friends and family to see her and everyone like her dead somehow now felt like home to her. It was surreal.

"Draco?" She asked cautiously.

"Yes sweetheart," he responded instantly, interested as to what had her so cautious.

"Are you sure that you really don't care about my blood anymore?" She asked gently, pressing herself firmly into his embrace.

He felt his heart sink.

* * *

How is it she still could think he cared about that? It made him see red.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, his voice was like ice.

Hermione squirmed in his embrace enough to look him in the face. He looked deathly serious. She felt a jolt of electricity run through her spine. Suddenly he felt dangerous, as he had done all of those years ago.

"Y…yes?" she said shakily, more in question than in response.

Immediately she felt the point of his wand in the side of her throat.

Hermione's eyes shot wide open, but she did not reach for her wand.

He could feel from her rigid body that she was terrified. He was disheartened but encouraged by the fact that she had not reached for her wand or attempted any wandless magic in her defense. He knew she was an accomplished enough witch to put up a hell of a fight if she wanted.

This to him, indicated some level of trust, despite the fear.

A slight smirk appeared on his lips as he whispered his chosen spells. Immediately she felt the pierce of skin as he drew blood from her.

Her hand flew up to grab her neck but he restrained her with ease.

"Stop sweetheart," he said gently. She was confused and still somewhat afraid. She had no idea what he was doing.

Slowly, he placed the hand he caught back down by her side and then stood to his full height from his previously leaning position.

He cut an intimidating figure staring down at her as a small stream of blood slid from the wound in the side of her neck, which, strangely enough, hurt very little.

He made sure to use a spell that would numb her before he pierced the skin. He didn't want to hurt her. Only to prove a point.

Slowly and deliberately he ran his fingers along her cheekbone and down towards the blood. He collected enough blood to coat the tip of his finger.

Hermione, who had turned her head away, was scared to look at him. She didn't know what came next and she hated not having control over the situation.

"Look at me," he demanded.

Hermione inhaled deeply and turned to meet his gaze.

Slowly, he raised his finger to his open mouth.

"You're not going to…" she said, alarmed, before being cut off.

"Yes I am," he said matter-of-factly. He always had a flair for the morbid and the dramatic.

Gently, he placed his blood soaked finger to his lower lip and let the blood coat it, slipping into his mouth.

Hermione's jaw dropped and she stared at him, mouth gaping, as he ran his tongue over his lower lip to collect the blood. Her blood.

"Oh my god," she said as she saw him swallow and raise his eyebrows at her.

She didn't know whether to be horrified, flattered or turned on.

* * *

"Does it look like I have a problem with your blood Hermione?" he asked forcefully, "Does it look like I think it's dirty?"

Hermione remained silent, looking at the younger Malfoy in shock. Of course, she understood the symbolism of what he had done, but she couldn't believe he had done it.

They stared at each other for some time, never dropping eye contact. Finally she gave in and let her eyes drop to his lips, which still contained traces of her fresh blood.

She couldn't help but groan. It was sick but she wanted him more than she ever had.

Sensing her arousal, Draco pulled her closer and took her mouth with a punishing kiss. She could taste the slight metallic taste of blood on his tongue.

Slowly he made his way to her neck. When he reached the wound, he licked the remainder of the blood and then used his wand to heal the skin.

He was immensely turned on by the intimacy and taboo nature of what they were doing and he ground himself against her as he cleaned her neck with his tongue. He thought he might explode when he felt her body responding to him.

"That…was...fucked…up" she managed to whisper into his mouth between kisses, "I know" he responded, smirking against her lips.

Before she knew what was happening he had turned them around and thrown her down onto the desk. Wandlessly he removed their clothes, leaving her only in a set of silver lace underwear with emerald green accents.

He groaned in appreciation. "Lioness, if I didn't know better I would think you wore those for me," he said seductively as he pulled her forwards to wrap her legs around his waist.

"So what if I did?" she responded, lustfully looking at his swollen mouth, a smear of her blood remaining below his bottom lip.

"Wicked, wicked witch!" he breathed as she felt the last of her clothing dematerialize from her body.

* * *

He entered her roughly and completely immediately. She let out a shocked moan as he began to take her relentlessly.

Dragging her forward to a sitting position, he pulled her hair causing her head to turn and dragged her ear to his mouth.

"Never doubt my acceptance of your blood status again," he said forcefully as he plundered her ruthlessly.

Hermione let out a moan.

"Say it," he growled in her ear, never relinquishing his punishing pace.

"I won't," she managed to get out in between thrusts.

"You won't what?" he asked, clearly enjoying the game he was playing with her.

She let out another moan before answering. 'I won't," she began, stopping at a particularly violent thrust. "Fuck!" she exclaimed, eyes watering at the force he took her with. It was almost painful, and she loved it. No one ever did this to her.

"Won't what?" he repeated, pulling more roughly on her hair.

"Doubt your…. _Ohhh_ …. Acceptance of me," she managed to get out.

Satisfied by this he relinquished her hair and his punishing pace and withdrew from her for long enough to pull her from the desk and turn her around to bend over it.

"I've fantasied about taking you just like this… on this desk… since the first time I had you," he said seductively as he entered her again from behind.

Hermione moaned in approval as he began to take her mercilessly once more.

He reached down and dragged her upwards by her hair, causing her to arch her back and lean back into him. He dipped his head to place a surprisingly delicate kiss on her lips as he slowed his pace.

"I don't care about your blood, I love you, you stupid witch," he breathed, hardly giving her time to register what he had said before he dropped her hair, causing her to lurch forward, and began to plunder her relentlessly once more.

He hadn't dared to wait for her response.

* * *

 **That's it for now guys. Let me know what you would like more of.**


	31. Stolen Secrets Part 31

**Hey Guys,**

 **Sorry for yet again another delay. I recognise that I am ACTUALLY THE WORST. I am thinking of trying to tie this up soon (but then again I have tried that before and wound up failing… so let's see how I do).**

 **I also went back and cleaned up the first 6 chapters, got rid of the roman numerals and some earlier more obvious errors (when I was in the teething phase of this story) which did eat into my writing time, but I think it was worth it.**

 **The next story I do will likely be my take on a marriage law fic. When I wrote this I wrote it because I was annoyed with the way characters like Hermione were consistently written in various fics and wanted to bring a different perspective. It seems like the people reading this agree that I have done that, as it's a reoccurring theme in the comments (thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support!) so I would like to play with the marriage law trope in the same way. Do something different and not entirely expected...I have ideas.**

 **I am also interested in a collection of long form stories with an interactive theme… I would be keen on the challenge of incorporating requests.**

 **It's been fun with this story collecting your views. I was thinking perhaps like an A-Z challenge. (A is for Azkaban, B is for Bonded etc.) with the possibility of the odd follow up under a different letter.**

 **Ultimately, my favourite thing about this fanfic... is engaging with enthusiastic and creative people. I want to keep the relationship going beyond this fic. Especially with my main reviewers - you know who you are. I plan to read and review some of your stories soon (sorry I've been so BUSY)**

 **ALSO - Don't worry, by popular demand, Lucius will see a little Dramione sexy time before the sun goes down on this fic. I promised. I will deliver.**

 **Without further ado… the next chapter.**

 **(rated M, I don't own HP)**

* * *

She snuggled against his warm body in his luxurious bed, unable to remember a time she felt happier or more secure. He had been so open with her and so sincere, if anything she had been the one holding back all along – but not anymore.

For his part, Draco felt the shift in her also. He had been concerned that using the 'L' word in the heat of the moment had been a bad idea. That she might run off to be with someone a little less intense. He need not have worried.

He had enjoyed having her over and over again that night. All over his house, in every way he had ever dreamed of. She may not have said it back, but she surely proved to him he hadn't scared her away. She was so present, and something about the way this witch looked at him set his once cold heart on fire.

Draco felt her nuzzle the side of his neck before peppering feather light kisses below his ear. He shivered under her touch and smirked at the ceiling, which was charmed to look like the night sky.

"You know…" she began, running her hand in a gentle circle on his smooth chest. "I have something to tell you," she said seductively.

"A good something or a bad something?" he replied huskily, reaching up and taking her small hand in his.

He felt her smiling against his neck. It was a rather intoxicating feeling.

Gently, she propped herself up on one arm and looked at him in the eyes. She was flushed and disheveled, but whenever he thought he had seen her look her best, she outdid herself again. The witch really did get more beautiful by the day, in his eyes at least.

"It could be good or bad, depending on who you ask," she said with a wicked smile.

"Well now Miss Granger, you have me intrigued," he said provocatively.

She leaned down and placed a timid kiss on his lips, the kind that lingered and somehow gave him the feeling that the world was at his feet.

"I love you too," she said, chewing her lip and watching his reaction intently.

His eyes widened for a moment before he managed to gain his composure.

"Oh you do, do you?" he said smugly, lacing his fingers more tightly between hers.

"That or you used _Imperious_ on me," she joked.

"Pfft. With the Malfoy family charm on my side I would not have to stoop to such lows to make a witch fall hopelessly in love with me," he said, eyes shining.

"Who said anything about 'hopelessly' in love with you Malfoy," Hermione replied, rolling her eyes.

"Well you ARE in love with me," he said seductively, rolling her onto her back before she realised what had gone on.

"Whatever am I going to do with you?" She giggled as he began to nibble on her earlobe.

"I can think of a few things," he responded.

He didn't know how he got so lucky. How a beautiful witch with a heart as good and a darkside as exciting could possibly be stupid enough to love him, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. No, he could brood and question later, right now he was going to lose himself in her, over and over again.

* * *

 **3 months later (A/N: I just felt like it needed a time jump)**

Things had been going well. Really well. So well in fact, both Hermione and Draco found themselves wondering if the other was too good to be true.

She had not had much to do with Lucius since the incident and had instead focused on work and her relationship with Draco.

Harry and Ginny had accepted him with what Hermione felt to be open arms, given the situation, but she had kept him away from Ron for obvious reasons. She knew eventually they would have to build a bridge, but she didn't feel like watching Ron try and attack Draco just yet. Ron just wasn't as pragmatic as Harry. It was going to be an uphill battle. Plus, what if Draco decided not to stick around? She wasn't about to subject them to eachother until she was sure she and Draco were in it for the long haul.

They had largely been able to keep their relationship out of the press, but rumours about their status continued to circulate. Draco had been spotted playing in a recreational Quidditch league on a number of occasions with Harry, a new friendship which certainly raised more than a few eyebrows in the wizarding community. Why else would the two men have such a sudden change of heart, if not for a certain golden beauty?

Hermione kind of liked the rumours. It meant witches thought twice before hurling themselves at him – although it did not stop all of them.

Draco never reciprocated of course, but she could do without his smugness about the whole thing. His ego certainly didn't need any more stroking. It infuriated her that she had to witness it, or hear about it in print.

Hermione on the other hand, was totally oblivious to the death stares he sent her way whenever a wizard dared to speak to her. He also still suffered in social settings that involved Theo or Blaise, struggling to get the images of Zabini's hands all over _his witch_ in the Hogwarts broom closet. Also the niggling feeling that Blaise had some kind of ulterior motive for wanting her memories in the first place. Had he been interested? Was he still?

Theo, for his part, was a perfect gentleman. Never overstepping with Hermione and seemingly respecting that she was seeing Draco.

That said, Draco knew they were all the same. Snakes. He scarcely took his eyes off her when they were around.

It was hard, as there was nothing overly certain about their relationship. He loved her, more and more each day. He knew she meant it when she said she loved him. Yet publicly they were not a couple.

Would someone else catch her fancy? Would he be enough for her? His heart sank when he would look down and catch sight of his Dark Mark. A constant reminder that he had, at one time, endorsed her torture and would have applauded her death.

He didn't deserve her and he knew it.

Often Draco found himself feeling selfish for pursuing her when she could have been happy with Theo, a much happier man than he. What would her life be like with someone else? Someone everyone would approve of, not have to grudgingly accept.

He felt a carnival of butterflies explode in his stomach as he waited for her one night after work, having come to an important decision.

He knew what he had to do. He just hoped he had the strength to do what he needed to.

* * *

 **Hope you like guys, please let me know what you're thinking and also if you would be interested in my other story ideas. (I do have a ripper little lemon of a one shot in my brain I really should write...)**


	32. Stolen Memories Part 32

**Hi Guys,**

 **Thanks for all your reviews** **and patience.** I have been slower since I have been writing and uploading the first three chapters of **my new fic "The Marriage Bond!"** If you like the tone of this story, please consider giving it a try. It's a marriage law fic with a twist.

As always, this is **rated M** for adult content and sadly, **I still do not own Harry Potter.**

 **I have addressed some reviews and added some next chapter spoilers at the end.**

* * *

 **Last Chapter:** _"He felt a carnival of butterflies explode in his stomach as he waited for her one night after work, having come to an important decision._

 _He knew what he had to do. He just hoped he had the strength to do what he needed to."_

* * *

 **Earlier that day:**

Hermione had been suffering a busy day at work and had finally been able to sit down to have her lunch. She sighed contentedly as she opened her mouth to savour the first bite, only to be interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

Disappointed, she sat the sandwich down and said, "come in."

She was somewhat taken aback when in walked none other than Blaise Zabini.

"Blaise," said Hermione stiffly. "Hermione," he smiled warmly.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked coolly. Blaise was seemingly unfazed by her frosty reception and sat himself down in the chair in front of her desk without an invite.

"I just wanted to check in with my favourite Gryffindor witch," he said sweetly.

"And why is that Blaise? Want to steal a few more of my memories?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Blaise let out a casual laugh and smiled serenely. "Of course not, and I do apologise for that. I got a little... curious," he responded.

"Curious?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yes, curious," he said evenly.

"About what?" she asked.

"You, of course. What you had been doing… who you had been doing…." He trailed off.

"And what the hell does that have to do with you Zabini?" she asked, feeling her temper spike.

"Back to last names now are we princess?" he asked, unmoved by her shifting mood.

"It would seem that way," she replied.

Blaise snorted and directed his attention to the window.

"Why are you really here Blaise?" she said after an awkward silence.

"I only wanted to warn you about Draco," he said innocently.

"Warn me about what?" she asked, feeling her stomach involuntarily drop.

"That he'll just use you up and spit you out like all of the other witches," he said as casually as one might suggest where to eat lunch.

"What?" responded Hermione, stunned he would come out with such a thing.

"Draco and I have been friends our whole lives. I love him as a mate, but he's never been serious about a witch. He seems serious, then he gets cold feet and changes his mind. He'll get bored of your Hermione, it's just who he is," he said.

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Hermione.

"I don't want you to get hurt," he said evenly.

"Really… because sneaky little Slytherins like you NEVER do anything without some kind of ulterior motive," she said sarcastically, gritting her teeth.

"If that's true, perhaps you should be asking yourself what ulterior motive Draco might have?" he replied without missing a beat.

Hermione didn't know what to say.

"Why are you telling me this Blaise?" she asked sincerely. She needed to know what his intentions were.

"I've always had a soft spot for you love… I think you can do better than us… any of us," he said with such sincerity she believed him despite herself.

"Why are you telling me this now?" she asked quietly.

"You two are the wizarding world's worst kept secret. It is only a matter of time before he does something mental like tries to marry you. I want you to really think about it. I know it's easy to get carried away in his charm. He can make you feel like the only witch in the world… believe me I've heard him brag about his techniques enough in the past to know…" he began.

"I am not carried away in his charm I…" she said before being cut off by Blaise.

"Darling, if something seems too good to be true… it probably is. Especially when it has anything to do with people like Draco and I," said Blaise, rising from his chair.

"Well, ah… thank you for taking the time to visit Blaise," said Hermione, unsure how to handle things from here.

"Anything for you my dear… Just think about what I said, OK?" he said naturally.

"OK," was all Hermione could manage to squeak out as the tanned Italian wizard left her office.

"Merlin…" she said under her breath, suddenly losing her appetite for the sandwich sitting on her desk.

* * *

 **Present:**

She decided to walk home that night to try and calm down about what Blaise had said. He probably just wanted to get into her head. Play games. Perhaps he was having some kind of dispute with Draco and wanted to hurt him?

Yes, that was it. Zabini had to be the one with the ulterior motive. Not Draco. She was being silly even giving it further thought. After all, she knew Draco would be at home, her home, waiting for her. How could he fool her all of these months if his heart wasn't in it?

Feeling like she was going to her own execution, she walked in the door to the sight of a very anxious looking Draco. "Hello darling," he said, seemingly uneasy. _How peculiar_ , she thought.

Before she had time to put too much thought into his strange behaviour he was in front of her, dropping to one knee.

"Hermione, I know this isn't as grand or romantic as a woman like you deserves. I know I am not the best catch in the world. I have a lot of baggage and I can be a total bastard about 80% of the time, but I love you and I think you love me. I don't want to be with anyone else. I want the world to know that you're mine and I want to know you'll be mine forever… will you marry me?" he said, looking up at her with intense grey eyes.

Hermione felt her knees weaken and her stomach sink. Why did it have to be today? Zabini's words rang through her head.

 _"_ _It is only a matter of time before he does something mental like tries to marry you."_

 _"_ _I know it's easy to get carried away in his charm. He can make you feel like the only witch in the world…"_

 _"_ _Darling, if something seems too good to be true… it probably is."_

Merlin, Blaise was right… it was too good to be true. This wasn't the Draco she had known her whole life. He was too tender. Too real. It had to be an act.. a game… or maybe not? But she needed time… time to work it out.

Suddenly she felt like she was suffocating. She felt like the apartment was getting smaller and smaller.

Draco's eyes began to become wide and panicked. She knew he could see her hesitation. See the conflict written on her face.

He immediately rose from his position at her feet.

"Hermione?" he asked, concern and panic written into his voice.

"I… I need time… I… I need to think," she said, on the verge of tears.

Draco looked like a man who had been totally broken. Absolute devastation radiated from his tall frame.

"Oh," was all he could respond.

She wanted to say more, but she needed to think. She needed to get control over herself and get her mind right. She needed to digest what Blaise had said against what she knew from her with time together with Draco. She needed to think about the proposal. She just needed… time.

Dejected, Draco walked to the floo and left, leaving Hermione to wonder if she just lost the best thing that ever happened to her because she had let Blaise Zabini get into her head.

* * *

A few hours later Hermione felt like she had her head right.

She had reflected on the time that she and Draco had spent together and felt sure that somehow, Zabini had managed to mess her head up.

Hermione realised that a part of her didn't think she was worth loving after some of her behaviour over the years, no matter how justified it had been at times. How could Draco possibly know her so well and still want to be married to her?

But thinking about it, she realised that Draco probably felt the same about himself. He had been a Death Eater and a horrid person to so many people for much of his life and yet she had spent every day with him… given him her love...and in return, he had wanted her to be his wife.

It was probably the biggest risk he ever took to ask her… and she threw it into his face with no explanation.

She felt terrible.

When she arrived at his apartment he was nowhere to be found. She was panicked. Panicked that perhaps he would go out drinking. Go back to a past lover. Disappear off to another country never to be seen again.

He had the means and ability to do anything he wanted. Draco Malfoy could have anything he wanted…. But he had wanted her… and she had thrown it back into his beautiful aristocratic face.

She sank to the floor of his hallway and tried desperately to think of where he might be. Then the idea struck her.

 _Malfoy Manor._

She remembered a while ago he told her that he loved to swim in the luxurious pool there. His parents never used that wing of the house and never noticed when he visited. It was his place to be alone. A space he went to when he wanted to clear his head, reflect and ultimately, to be alone.

 _YES!_ That was it.

Hermione ran to his floo, praying that she was right about this.

She had to see him, and she had to make this right.

"Pool house, Malfoy Manor," she shouted as clearly as she could.

In an instant, she was gone.

* * *

 **FYI, the next chapter things are going to get steamy in the pool house - and perhaps it might be time for our friend Lucius to happen upon the young pair making up (as promised to a number of you many chapters ago)**

 **Review responses (I have had a crazy amount on this story and I think you so much but can't thank you all but here is a few):**

 **Destroyer of Nations:** You are the first person to hate Lucius and I love that you do - I think that means I have written him well. He's fun but hes certainly not a sympathetic character. Glad you like the story!

 **munzke11:** Thanks for waiting despite your impatience ;)

 **pgoodrichboggs:** A proposal for sure (he would never let her go.. not now!)

 **LightofEvolution:** I appreciate your appreciation of a more sensitive Draco. We don't see it enough. I decided to focus on Hermione's insecurities more so for this chapter as I think I have been developing Draco much more of late. He's feeling pretty rejected - but of course, Hermione will surely make it up to him in time.

 **:** Smut to follow in the next chapter. Hope you like slippery pool times.

 **There are so many great guest reviews that I would love to respond to but since I don't know who to direct it to - I can't. HURRY UP AND GET ACCOUNTS ALREADY SO WE CAN INTERACT!**

 **Final reminder, please check out THE MARRIAGE BOND. I think fans of this story will enjoy it. **


	33. Stolen Secrets Part 33

**If you are not someone who reads the author's interactions with reviews, you should know promises have been made.** I promised Lucius being voyeuristic at some point with some Dramione smut. Finally, I am delivering on that promise. **To those of you who have been advocating for this** (and mentioning it in reviews every chapter) **this is for you.**

 **M for VERY adult content and language.**

 **Comments at the end of the chapter.**

 **Apologies for any blatant typos. I have had the week from hell and am so far behind on everything in my life but knew I had left this too long without an update and really wanted to get it out tonight. I did proofread... but I am pretty tired!**

* * *

 **Last Chapter:**

 _"Pool house, Malfoy manor," she shouted as clearly as she could. In an instant, she was gone."_

* * *

She was right of course, Hermione Granger was not often wrong in her hunches.

There he was, his lean muscled body elegantly moving through the water. She made her way to the stairs of the pool and dipped her feet, thinking it was best to wait, rather than interrupt him when he was clearly blowing off steam.

The pool house at Malfoy Manor was as opulent as the rest of the property, a true show of the obscene wealth the Malfoy family had enjoyed for generations.

Marble with gold accents gave way to a glass ceiling, providing a crystal clear view of the night sky. Draco had confided in her that this was one of his favourite spots in the Manor, mostly because it was abandoned most of the time. His parents didn't use it, and were away so often it would have been empty even if they did. He loved to swim as he found that in addition to being great exercise, it cleared his mind. He had told her, it made him feel free. It wasn't something he felt often throughout her life.

Thinking back to the things he had confided in her in their time together, what Blaise had said seemed less likely. She doubted he was the type to give much of himself to anyone. Therefore, his innermost feelings, special places and treasured memories would not be given to just any woman he slept with.

Blaise had to be wrong… but she needed Draco to say it.

Leaning against a large marble pillar she dipped her feet into the shallows of the pool and rested, watching the muscles in Draco's back ripple as he continued to swim up and down, unaware of her presence. She was relieved her alliance with Lucius had given her access to the Manor, as the list of people who could move in and out of the wards unrestricted was small. Not being able to get to him tonight would have been like torture.

Eventually, when he tired of swimming he stood and noticed her. His shoulders sank as he eyed her defensively. Hermione kept her face impassive (something she had learned from Draco) and waited for him to come closer to her so they could speak.

"I thought you might be here," she said when he joined her in the shallow corner of the pool by the stairs. She didn't look at him, instead focusing on moving the water around with her legs. She stopped when he placed his hand on her knee, a silent demand that she look at him.

He could tell from her face that she had been crying.

"What happened back there Hermione?" he asked her seriously.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying not to give into the urge to cry or run away. She knew she needed to sort things out.

"I just… I thought we were something special… did I misread how things were going between us?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Hermione leaned down and took his hand, threading his fingers through hers.

"No, you didn't misread anything… what's been happening between us… I've never felt this way…. It scares me… the intensity of it… it scares me…" she said honestly, stroking the side of his thumb lovingly.

Draco leaned up and stroked her hair, the droplets of water that ran down her neck and into the neckline of her dress made her shudder involuntarily.

Gently he took her other hand and pulled her into the water, the skirt of her light dress floating ethereally around them.

"Then why did you react that way?" he asked so sadly she thought her heart might break.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, letting him walk them around the shallows of the lush pool. It was a welcome distraction for both of them.

"Blaise came to see me today," she admitted, whispering into his ear to avoid seeing the look on his face. She could tell from the way his body stiffened that he was furious.

"What did he say?" he asked in a low, dangerous tone.

Still avoiding his gaze, she burrowed into his neck to answer his questions. Suddenly she felt guilty, really guilty.

"He said that you could be charming but…" she began.

"But what?" he snapped.

"But…you were too good to be true. That you would make me feel like the only witch in the world and then leave me… like all of the others…" she said so quietly, he had to strain to hear.

His grip on her hips tightened to the point that she felt sure he was leaving bruises. She could feel his heart beating furiously and knew he was irate. She braced herself for his response.

His voice was artificially calm. "That slimy fucking git," he spat.

Hermione said nothing. Just clung to him hoping he wasn't going to throw her out.

"And you believed him?" he asked angrily.

"Well no…" she said.

"If you didn't believe him you wouldn't have said no," he said bitingly.

"I didn't say no… I just needed a moment to think. He came into my office right before I left… you were down on one knee fifteen minutes later… it was just too much… I needed time to process," she argued.

"I don't want to be with someone who has to think twice about me Hermione," he said dejectedly, letting go of her waist and dropping her legs to the pool floor.

He was attempting to extract her arms from around his neck but she wouldn't move.

"Don't you dare Draco Malfoy," she yelled, finding every ounce of Gryffindor courage she had.

She wrapped her hands around his neck and wrenched his face down so his eyes met hers.

"I love you. The idea of not having you in my life makes me want to die. That terrifies me Draco. YOU terrify me. You know my story. You know how lonely it's been for me. Only YOU understand. Only YOU accept me entirely as I am. But I am not the kind of woman used to needing someone. I thought I was happy alone until you came along… and you've been no angel either by the way… but I love you more for it. I know I am not easy to love, but neither are you. I need you to stick with it. Don't push me away because you're hurt that I thought twice. You're thinking twice now. That's what we're like. We think. We analyse and we agonize… please… let's do that together, everything together" she pleaded, throwing all of her cards on the table.

* * *

Draco felt his resolve weaken.

He was prone to forgetting that despite her strength and at times harsh exterior, she had similar insecurities to him.

Blaise had played to them when he told her he would tire of her. A shrewd move on his part. It was believable after all. The _Daily Prophet_ had been running with that narrative for years – and it wasn't entirely unjustified. He did tire of women regularly, but none of them were anything like Hermione Granger.

"Where do we go from here Hermione, where do we stand?" he asked. He could be with her, but only if they got out of the ambiguous place they were in. He was a man that needed to know where he stood.

"I want to be your wife, but I'll settle for girlfriend… or even… friend…I guess, if you don't want me like that anymore… but I need you to be in my life, somehow" she said sincerely, embracing him.

He snaked his arms around her body and pulled her close.

"You know I would be no good at being just friends with you Hermione," he said, looking down at her petite figure. "Look at you, I could hardly keep my hands off you," he finished.

She let out a sad giggle and nuzzled his chest, sniffling. She had been biting back tears for a while now.

"What do you want to do then?" she asked seriously.

"Well, when we get out of this pool I would like you to put on the fucking huge diamond ring in the pocket of my jeans for starters. I want you to turn the other cheek when I murder Blaise Zabini and I want you to talk to me more about how you feel from now on so slimy little gits like him can't get into that complicated little head of yours and ruin things," he said.

"So demanding," she said lightly, relaxing a little knowing that all was not lost.

"There is also one more thing I want Hermione," he said seriously.

"Okay, what is it?" she responded.

He smirked, knowing she would give him what he wanted. He was not above exploiting her desire to please him and repair the damage of the afternoon.

"I've never shagged anyone in this pool before, why not start now?" he asked wickedly, pulling her up so her legs coiled around his waist once more.

Hermione gave him a disapproving look for having made her think he was going to say something serious, but predictably placed a soft kiss on his lips, parting hers slightly to allow him entry.

He groaned as he felt her hand tracing the outline of his member through his shorts.

"Good girl," he whispered against her lips as he pushed her into the edge of the pool, her back to the wall, legs still around his waist.

* * *

He kissed her passionately, his tongue dominating her and leaving her feeling breathless. She gasped as he pulled his lips from hers and began to suck on her neck, deliberately leaving bruises as they ground their bodies together.

"What if someone comes?" she managed to pant.

"No one ever comes down here…. Although you will be soon," he said seductively, raising an eyebrow, clearly proud of his joke.

"You're not funny," she said, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"I think I am," he said, nipping her earlobe and pulling her dress upwards.

Soon they were naked, their clothes floating around the pool haphazardly. Hermione felt like the temperature in the room had risen several degrees as his hand slid between them, finding what he was looking for between her thighs.

She let out a soft sigh as he took his time, leisurely pleasuring her using everything he had learned about her body in their time together. Without stopping, he walked her to the stairs and sat her down gently so he could use both hands, massaging her breasts sensuously as he continued to pleasure her below the surface.

The sounds of her moans could be heard echoing through the pool house as he continued on a relentless pursuit of her climax. She arched her back as he suckled on her breasts, slowly pushing her upwards until most of her body was lying beside the pool.

Now she was exposed to him, he began to kiss the junction between her thighs, while pumping three fingers in and out of her. Hermione was beyond wet and ready for him. He couldn't wait to be inside of her later.

She could feel him watching her as she closed her eyes and gave herself over to the bubbling pressure in her womb.

* * *

It wasn't often Lucius Malfoy used the pool house, but every so often, of an evening, he liked to use the wooden sauna room at the back of the building. However on this night, unlike the others, when he stepped out of the room after a nice long sauna session, he heard the delicious sound of a female moaning.

 _Curious_ , he thought. Narcissa hated swimming… as much as he would like to think of her pleasuring herself in their Olympic sized swimming pool – he didn't think it was likely. Quietly, he crept to the corner, staying in the shadows as he observed the swimming pool.

The sight he was greeted with caught him completely off guard.

Hermione Granger was laying by the edge of the pool, naked, his son, somewhat submerged in the water, head and hands between her legs.

She was moaning and grasping at her breasts, grinding against Draco's face as he gave her, what sounded to him, like an Earth shattering orgasm.

He knew he shouldn't look, but ever since his vivid dream of her in the library that time, he had felt curious about her. She was an erotic sight sprawled by the pool, allowing Draco to pleasure her completely and with abandon.

Lucius had once had Narcissa in much the same way when they had been in their late teens, by this very same pool. The whole scene left him feeling nostalgic, and aroused.

When the girl fell over the edge, Draco dragged her back into the swimming pool, and although his view was obscured, obviously entered her. He saw Hermione rake her hands through Draco's hair as she let out a small gasp of pleasure.

His son was clearly enjoying her slowly, and there was a passion so evident in their kiss that it was obvious to him immediately that this was no passing fancy for either party.

Again, he knew he should turn to leave, lest he get caught in such a compromising position, but he was transfixed by the young lovers. Somehow, he didn't think either of them could tear their eyes off each other long enough to look in his direction anyway.

In time, the atmosphere between the two changed and it was evident they were becoming more frantic in their love making. Lucius found himself smirking. Draco really was his father's son. Couldn't resist fucking her in the pool, rather than just making love, as they had been up to that point.

He got a lovely view of her chest bouncing as the upper half of her body was slammed into the side of the pool and Draco began to pump her more furiously, clearly reaching down to give her more stimulation. The sound of the water splashing and Hermione's pleasured cries seemed to reverberate through the large room.

* * *

Hermione's mind was blank with pleasure and she felt like she might struggle to remember her own name in this moment if asked. The mixture of relief that Draco hadn't given up on her, hopefulness about their future and pleasure from his relentless thrusting into and rubbing of her most sensitive space was sending her mad.

Somewhere in the middle of reaching her bliss she turned her head, and through her blurred vision could have sworn she saw the figure of a tall blonde man in the shadows. She wondered if perhaps she was dreaming. She had certainly felt strange ever since her wild dream about Lucius after the ill-fated gala she went to with Theo.

She knew she was probably imagining it, but the idea of Lucius watching aroused her further and she felt her orgasm explode inside of her, causing her muscles to clench around an almost spent Draco, causing him to fall over the edge with her with a loud grunt.

* * *

He could have sworn she saw him and instead of screaming or alerting Draco, she just looked at him as his son continued to plunder her. Her perky young breasts glistening as they bounced. He stiffened at the thought that she might have known, and let him enjoy the show anyway. Her deviance would certainly fit in well with the Malfoy family.

 _No_ , he _must_ have imagined it. Either way, he needed to get out of there, and fast.

He was glad he saw it. He felt like there was a closure there now. Lucius no longer had to wonder how she might look under her clothes or what scrumptious little noises she might make when on the receiving end of a good fuck.

She clearly belonged to his son, and what a prize she was.

Slinking back into the shadows he went back into the sauna and apparated away from there. He had never been so glad that it was possible for Malfoy's to apparate within Manor walls.

* * *

"We have some work to do… emotionally I mean… between us" she said seriously, now dried and dressed after spending some time floating around the pool with Draco, kissing, touching and whispering sweet nothings.

He fumbled around in his pocket before presenting her with a ring box. He didn't bother to get onto one knee this time, and he wasn't nervous about her response. Something had happened between them in that pool, and he knew it had been a turning point. Hermione Granger, unquestionably, belonged to him, in heart anyway. She was far too self-possessed to ever belong to anyone in any other way. He liked that about her. She was a prize but not anybody's trophy.

"Well fuck Granger, of course we do. We went through a war as children. We've both done horrific things. That's excluding the interference we will no doubt suffer from our friends and let's not forget the public scrutiny we are sure to experience… Yeah, it's going to be work. Whatever, fuck it I say," he said flippantly, sliding the princess cut diamond onto her slender finger.

"There," he said smiling, "A princess, for a _princess_."

Hermione couldn't help but smile. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. He had picked it just for her, knowing that some antique ring from a line of purebloods who would have hated her wouldn't have suited her. It was exactly to her taste and was the most beautiful thing she had ever owned.

He knew she loved it and felt a sense of pride he knew her so well, despite how difficult she could be to understand at times.

She put her arms around his neck and placed a sweet kiss on his lips and somehow, deep down, she knew that everything was going to be okay – he wasn't going anywhere, ever.

* * *

 **So I think the next chapter will be my final chapter. This story is so much bigger than I ever planned and I think it's time to give them the ending they deserve. I may consider an epilogue depending on how the chapter pans out.**

 **I am still loving writing "The Marriage Bond"** and will be continuing with that and am looking forward to being able to put more of my attention to it. I have also started drafting chapter plans for a fic set around the time Hermione gets tortured at Malfoy Manor. It's going to be a bit darker than my other stories. I'm super excited to write it!

 **Basically, I am going to be around for a while!**

 **I hope you liked the chapter and I managed to capture voyeuristic Lucius without him being too creepy** (even though there is not much of a way to make that not creepy LOL).

 **As usual, thanks for all your sweet, enthusiastic and amazing reviews and sticking with me on this journey. You're all amazing! Keep reading my stories. I love you all!**


	34. Stolen Secrets Part 34

**As always – M for mature audiences and I don't own Harry Potter or make money from this.**

* * *

Hermione couldn't help but smirk (a nasty habit she had picked up from her fiancé of six months, Draco Malfoy) as she brushed crumbs from her breakfast from the front page of the _Daily Prophet_. A moving photograph of Draco staring down at her lovingly at a recent Ministry event caused a flutter in her stomach. She was full of nervous energy as today was the day she was to become Hermione Malfoy…or Hermione Malfoy-Granger… or Hermione Granger-Malfoy… she had yet to decide.

None the less, although she knew the Prophet was a rag, which was usually only good for the lining of owl cages, she decided to read it anyway. After all, she knew the whole wizarding world was talking about them, and she wanted to know what they were saying.

 _The wedding of the century!_

 _It is unlikely that a more controversial wedding will take place in the wizarding world in this life time as today Draco Malfoy, former Death Eater, will marry Hermione Granger, a muggleborn witch famous for being instrumental in the defeat of He Who Must Not Be Named._

 _Ms Granger is a member of the 'Golden Trio,' three Hogwarts students who mobilised countless witches and wizards against He Who Must Not Be Named and his Death Eaters. She is also a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a group who worked against He Who Must Not Be Named in both wars._

 _The Malfoy family were known associates of the anti muggle movement and famously housed the Dark Lord as well as several infamous Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor during the second wizarding war. It was during this time that the Golden Trio were captured and held captive at Malfoy Manor. Ms Granger was subsequently tortured with an unforgiveable curse by her now fiancé's Aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange in the presence of the entire Malfoy Family._

 _After the war Ms Granger and Mr Malfoy went on to have very successful careers at the Ministry of Magic. Mr Malfoy has worked hard to redeem himself and the Malfoy name, becoming involved with numerous charities in order to make up for his past indiscretions (he was just seventeen and heavily influenced by his family when he took the Dark Mark)._

 _With an interesting and dark shared history, the pair seemed unlikely. A romance between the pair had been rumoured for some time, however both parties were spied with other dates during their rumoured courtship, which cast doubt over the reliability of the information. There were mixed reactions to their coming out as an engaged couple just six months ago._

 _Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger have refused to comment on the details of the wedding, which is taking place today at Malfoy Manor. The Manor is one of the most secure properties in Britain and a total media blackout is in place. Guests are rumoured to include Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and their families as well as all remaining living members of the Order of the Phoenix._

 _Lucius Malfoy was contacted for comment and made the following statement._

 _"My wife and I are thrilled that our son Draco has chosen such an exquisite bride. Ms Granger is the brightest witch of the age and a remarkable woman whose history speaks for itself. The Malfoy name is synonymous with quality and Ms Granger joining our family only highlights this."_

 _When asked what he thought about her blood status, Mr Malfoy informed our reporters that we live in a new age and her blood is of no consequence. This is quite a turn around for a former Blood Purist and Death Eater._

 _The Prophet hopes to bring you more details about the big day in due course."_

Hermione was smiling to herself when she was pulled from her dream state by the voice of her best friend Ginny.

"Come on Hermione, it's time to get ready!" she said excitedly.

Ginny had not been enthusiastic about Hermione and Draco to begin with, but over time had warmed to the pair. She had told Hermione this is because it was evident that Draco's feelings for her were genuine and given his money, power and talent in the dark arts, her friend would always be protected by him. Of course, Hermione could always protect herself, but she had to concede, it was nice to have someone else in her corner.

Harry, being Harry, had supported her with little question. Ron was sullen for a time but eventually saw things from Harry's perspective. The remainder of their friends were confused but supportive as it was hard to overserve the two together without accepting that there was a genuine love there. They had all suffered so much unhappiness and uncertainty growing up, no one denied anyone else happiness.

It meant the world to her that her friends were willing to forgive him as she had and now stood in the Manor gardens looking at her proudly as she made her way down the aisle towards the rest of her life.

* * *

He couldn't believe his luck as Hermione Granger beamed at him as she held her bouquet and walked towards him confidently. She was wearing a simple white silk gown which accentuated her small but curvy body. He did his best to block out any lustful thoughts given they were in the company of their nearest and dearest and instead used the time to reflect on his love for her.

There was no other woman like her. She was one of a kind - and soon she would be his wife. Not a soul in the wizarding community would be left in doubt that she was committed to him, even if half of them still thought he was Death Eater scum.

He had been surprised at the support she had from her friends, although both Ron and Harry had let him know that should he hurt Hermione, he would be taken into the Forbidden Forest and never seen again. Personally, he didn't think Weasley had it in him, but something about the look in Potter's eye made him think he might be capable of it.

Not that he had any intention of hurting their golden girl. He had already hurt her more in a lifetime than he cared to think about, and intended to spend the rest of his time making up for that.

* * *

The wedding itself was a blur. They had kept it simple as neither she nor Draco were particularly sappy or sentimental people. The day was more about the magical bond the marriage would represent than it was about the specifics of the ceremony.

Lucius looked like his Christmases had all come at once, likely because of the positive press the marriage had got for the Malfoy family. Business was booming and it seemed like they were well on the way to their former glory as wizarding Britain's most influential family. Hermione supposed this was a good thing as the Malfoy family was now her family too.

The reception was beautiful and took place in the rose gardens of the Manor. The gardens had been enchanted to sparkle, an effect which only became more beautiful as day turned into night. There seemed to be an air of forgiveness with old enemies talking and laughing with each other like friends. Even Lucius and Arthur Weasley seemed to be getting on like a house on fire.

In another strange turn of events, Neville Longbottom, who had long since grown out of his awkward buck toothed phase, appeared to be chatting up Pansy Parkinson, who was shamelessly flirting back in response.

Hermione could see that Draco was enjoying people watching from the bridal table as he sat and observed the guests whilst gently drawing circles over the palm of her hand with his thumb. They were alone as the other guests were enjoying the festivities and had left the young lovers to steal some time together.

She felt something inside her pull as she saw the corner of his mouth twitch with amusement as he observed Dean Thomas clearly being turned down by Luna Lovegood by the bar.

He had been watching the guests intently for some time now. She supposed there wasn't much going on at the reception that he didn't know about. She liked that about him. Endlessly perceptive, he was always aware of his surroundings.

"Bastard," she whispered into his ear. She could feel his smirk as she kissed the side of his jaw. "I can't help but enjoy good entertainment when it is presented to me Granger," he said, grinning wickedly.

"Granger?" she asked, pouting playfully.

"Malfoy… _Mudblood_?" he responded darkly, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Dean, who was slumped at the bar looking defeated.

"Poor Dean," she remarked.

Draco laughed. "Don't worry about him, the barmaid has been looking at him all night, the man is an idiot!"

Hermione pulled out a napkin and wrote a message to Dean, which she charmed to appear on the coaster in front of him.

"THE GIRL BEHIND THE BAR LIKES YOU – YOU OBLIVIOUS TWAT!" appeared in gold writing in front of the dejected boy. Looking around cautiously he stole a glance at the bartender, clearly took a drink to calm his nerves, and went to speak to the girl.

Draco smiled at his wife. "That's our good deed for the day," he said, lifting her hand and placing a featherlight kiss on it.

"Indeed, it is… should we sneak away?" she asked seductively.

He smiled and brushed a stray stand of hair from her eyes.

"Let's sit for a little longer and enjoy this, we have forever, after all" he said, his smile reaching his eyes, as it seemed to do only with her.

"That we do," she agreed, snuggling into his side and watching the scene before them unfold.

* * *

Fin

* * *

 **I know it was short. Don't hate me. I just really wanted them to have a nice happy ending.**

 **I suspect I will do an epilogue, but as I mentioned things are hectic in my life right now so it may take me a while. If you are interested, please continue to follow the story so you get the notification when I do it.**

 **Thank you so much for your passion and enthusiasm for this story. It has meant more to me than you know.**

 **Please consider reading and following 'The Dinner Party and Other Tales' which is my collection of short (but not that short) 'Dramione' stories.**

 **LOVE LOVE LOVE! – R.**


	35. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

"Where's Scorpius?" asked Draco. He had noticed his son was not on his broom outside and not in the pool, his favourite school holiday haunts.

"I believe he's in the library studying," said Hermione, barely taking her eyes away from legal documents she was reading.

"It's school holidays Granger," said Draco, rolling his eyes as he stood above his wife's desk. He'd never quite given up calling her Granger.

Hermione looked up and rolled her eyes at him. "Yes darling, I know it's school holidays, but anyone serious about their studies knows that it is the perfect time to get ahead on reading for next term!" she explained, as though speaking to an idiot.

"Remind me again why I had a child with a bookworm?" laughed Draco, leaning over the desk to push his nose into hers.

"It's a real mystery," she said, the corner of her lips upturned.

Draco planted a soft kiss on her lips and then pulled back to stand. Hermione looked disappointed, which Draco enjoyed. He had always loved distracting her from her work.

"Alright, I will go find the boy then. He's too quiet. I don't like it when he's too quiet. It's like he's plotting something," said Draco, walking toward the study door.

"Not _all_ Malfoys plot!" she called out haughtily.

"Yes, they do!" yelled Draco as he rounded the corner.

* * *

Scorpius looked at the old book and smiled. He had found it several weeks ago in his father's version of 'the restricted section' of the family library and had been curious ever since.

He had caught sight of a memory charm he thought would be particularly useful. Imagine being able to watch the memories of a friend, foe or lover in a pensive without them ever knowing you took them! The kind of information and power that could bring…

Plus, he was a sixteen-year-old boy – and there was a witch at school he had his eye on. But she was a Gryffindor and he thought perhaps she wouldn't be interested in him.

He had taken after his father more than his mother (other than his ability to study and enjoy it) and that could be fairly off-putting to girls from Gryffindor House. He wanted to know what she remembered of him, and what she did in her free time. If he might have a chance.

His complete attention had been on the spell book when his father came in, so of course, he missed it when the older blonde wizard stalked up behind him and saw what he was doing.

"SCORPIUS!" he hissed, "what do you think you are doing?"

The younger Malfoy jumped and looked up guiltily.

"Studying?" he said, his response coming out more like a question than an answer.

"Studying dark texts?" asked Draco, tapping his foot.

Scorpius gulped.

"Well, I ah, was just looking…" he said, unable to find an excuse for having snatched the book from the forbidden section of his dad's library.

"Looking?" said Draco, "you were just _looking_? Somehow I very much doubt that."

"I was!" replied Scorpius.

Draco snatched up the book and looked at his son sternly.

"Scorpius, the things in this book are not for teenage boys. In fact, they shouldn't be for anyone. Take it from someone who knows. The kinds of memory tricks in this book – they're not right," he explained.

"What do you mean?" asked Scorpius, his curiosity peaked.

He knew much of his father's history. It wasn't all good of course, but he loved him anyway and never let anything said in the halls of Hogwarts get to him.

Draco pulled up a chair beside his son and looked at him seriously.

"I used a spell like this on your mother – after the war. While I can't say I didn't appreciate learning more about her than she would have told me freely at the time – taking away her right to her own memory, her stories and her right to privacy was wrong. I can't ever take back that I did that to her. I know that as Malfoy's – we feel entitled to everything. I didn't see it as wrong at the time. Just a head start. Just fun. But I would hate to see you grow up and make the same mistakes as me," he said gently, "you need to grow up to be more empathetic, like your mother."

Scorpius smiled at his Dad. He was prone to moodiness and bouts of bastardry – but deep down he was a nice man. He also was madly in love with his mother. Feeling madly in love was something he hoped to encounter someday – perhaps with the pretty Gryffindor girl he had been watching for months.

"Okay Dad," he said, smiling.

"I am going to take this book and put it in my private safe. Leaving dangerous objects around was a bad habit I learned from my father – let's hope when you grow up and have children, you have a friendlier home than this Manor," said Draco, raising an eyebrow.

Scorpius snorted and picked up his summer reading list.

He would take his father's points on board. But he was being overdramatic. There was no harm in using the spell a little bit. Plus, he'd already promised his best friend James that they could use it next term.

His Dad was stupid to think he wouldn't have taken a copy just as soon as he found it. He'd only had the book out to read more for context.

His parents could be so oblivious at times.

Scorpius was too caught up in his own thoughts on the matter to notice the knowing smirk his father gave him on the way out of the room.

* * *

"Do you think he took a copy?" asked Hermione, stroking Draco's blonde hair.

"I know he took a copy," replied Draco.

"Did you see it?" she asked.

"No," he responded.

"Then how do you know?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"He's my son. He took a copy as soon as he saw the thing," he replied. "The kid probably memorized it," he snorted.

"Well, what can we do about it?" asked Hermione.

"Absolutely nothing. He is going to stubbornly do whatever it is he wants to do. All we can do is encourage him to be a good person and hope he doesn't use it for anything too unethical," said Draco.

"We raised a good boy – he will work it out," said Hermione, confident in the goodness of her son.

"I don't think he's going to be a good boy Hermione, that's probably why he wants that spell – just like I did when I found it," said Draco, giving her a sultry look.

"Do not even make me think about this Draco!" she warned.

Draco laughed and pulled her closer in the bed. "But good witches always go for bad wizards – look at us!" he said, kissing her neck.

Hermione giggled and pretended to push him off.

'Well, I have faith in our son!" she joked.

"Well that makes one of us," replied Draco jokingly, "now – come here and please your husband."

"Prat."

"Swot."

* * *

 **I apologise for the obscene amount of time this epilogue took. I have had Mono – as well as a range of other setbacks in life. I do have aspirations to get back into updating 'The Dinner Party and Other Tales' regularly – so keep an eye out if you are interested.**

 **Thanks for all your comments and support during the lifespan of this story – it was a great experience for me.**


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